


This Can't Be Love

by DKNC



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Falling in Love is not always uncomplicated!, Friends to Lovers, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 21:46:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 35,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21975895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DKNC/pseuds/DKNC
Summary: A while back, I received a request for a Ned/Cat fic to be given as an engagement present to a lovely young lady who enjoys reading my stories. Her sister and fiance reached out to me and asked if I could write something for him to present to her during his Christmas Eve proposal, and I was very honored to do so. Now that the beautiful proposal has taken place and been accepted, the bride-to-be has graciously allowed me to share this story on AO3. It is dedicated to the lovely s_lore07 and her future husband. :-)Summary:  When Catelyn Tully--trying to get her world back in order after ending a relationship and going through some family drama--takes a job in a book store to pay for rent on the crummy apartment she shares with her sister (and hopefully make enough pay tuition for a couple of college classes, too), she quickly decides her new coworker is kind of nice looking. And smart. And truly a good person. But she has no idea exactly how much he'll come to mean in her life or the complicated path they'll take to get there.
Relationships: Barbrey Dustin/Brandon Stark (past), Barbrey Dustin/Ned Stark, Catelyn Stark/Jaime Lannister (past), Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Ned Stark/Ashara Dayne (past)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 83





	This Can't Be Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [s_lore07](https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_lore07/gifts).



“So? How was the book store?”

Catelyn smiled and shook her head as her younger sister began questioning her before she’d even managed to get in the door of their small apartment. “Okay, I guess. The owner’s a little . . . out there . . . but she seems nice enough, and the guy who was working today was very nice.”

“Guy?” Lysa’s eyes lit up. “So tell me about this very nice guy.”

“Lysa!” Catelyn protested, throwing her jacket at her. “I was there for a job interview, remember? Not to meet guys.”

“Well, you mentioned him,” Lysa huffed, tossing the jacket aside on the small sofa. “So tell me about the guy or the job. Do you think they might hire you?”

Catelyn grinned. “They did. Your sister is once again gainfully employed, Lysa. So it looks like we’ll make rent next month after all.”

Lysa squealed and ran to hug her. “Cat! That’s fantastic!” She squeezed Catelyn to the point that it was almost painful, and then as she let her go, her eyes looked almost guilty. “I do love you for doing this, you know.”

“Lysa, we’ve been over this,” Catelyn said matter-of-factly. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.”

“But you don’t have to live like this. Dad would pay for your school and anything else you need if you just went back and apologized to him.”

“He’d do the same for you,” Catelyn said softly.

Lysa got that stubborn almost petulant look on her face that Catelyn knew so well. “I won’t apologize to him. Never!”

Catelyn sighed. “And I’ll stand by you if that’s how you feel. He was wrong to ever treat you so, Lysa. I know that. I honestly think he knows it, too, but you’re both so stubborn . . .” She shook her head. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about Dad. And I’m just fine taking a couple classes at a time at the community college. I’m honestly not entirely sure what I want to do with the rest of my life, you know? But right now, I do think I’ll like working at Words and Wonder.”

“I still say it’s a goofy name,” Lysa giggled as she grabbed Catelyn’s hand to lead her into the tiny kitchen.

“It is,” Catelyn agreed, “But books are wonderful, and that’s sort of the vibe Melisandre—that’s the owner—is going for. You know, kind of a magical place to explore the joy of reading. She’s actually a little over the top on the whole “magic” business, but she does carry a brilliant selection of fantasy novels so you know I’m happy.”

Lysa snorted. “You’ll spend more time reading than working.”

“Will not!” She stopped short when she noticed the table. “Oh, Lysa! You didn’t need to do this!” Her sister had ordered in from her favorite Thai restaurant, and had even picked up a bottle of wine.

“Oh, we can splurge every now and then without going broke! Especially now that we’re both working again. I was hoping we’d have something to celebrate, and we do! So, sit, eat, and tell me all about Wonderful Magical Words . . .”

“Words and Wonder,” Catelyn corrected.

“Whatever. Tell me all about it, and tell me about the very nice guy. Is he hot?”

“Lysa! I just met him! He showed me around the bookstore and told me a bit about what he does there. And I suppose he’s nice enough looking.”

“Nice enough looking. So not as hot as Jaime then!”

Catelyn glared at her. “No one is as hot as Jaime. And no one is as acutely aware of that fact as Jaime. That’s why we’re not dating anymore, Lysa, remember? That man could never love anyone as much as he loves himself. Hence why we aren’t dating anymore.” Catelyn poured herself a glass of the red wine and took a long drink.

“Oh?” Lysa arched her eyebrow. “I thought you weren’t dating because he dumped you because you left the house to come live with me and refused to go back or take any of Dad’s money.”

“Lysa, stop. Yes, he dumped me. But I’d realized we were never going to work well before that. You needing a roommate saved me from having to work up the courage to break up with him. And the speed with which he ended it once I was no longer an acceptably pretty, acceptably well-off arm ornament to accompany his glorious self around town confirmed my suspicion that it needed to end.” She raised her glass. “To Jaime Lannister! May he find a divinely blonde and beautiful woman who’s a perfect reflection of himself. Maybe then, he’ll be happy.”

“No one’s prettier than you, Cat,” Lysa said loyally. Then she grinned and said, “I’ve hated you for that since I was about five.”

Catelyn snorted. “Shut up and drink your wine. Mmm. This curry is delicious. Eat up, little sister, since you’re paying for it.”

“Did you at least get this guy’s name? And can you give me any more details than ‘nice enough looking?’”

“Ned,” Catelyn said softly. “His name is Ned. He’s taller than I am, but not as tall as Jaime. He’s got brown hair which he wears sort of long. I couldn’t tell precisely how long because he had it pulled back, but I’d say it’s about to his shoulders. He doesn’t smile much, but he’s got a lovely deep voice, and his eyes are an unusual sort of grey color. He wears a beard—very neat, close shaved, not one of those mountain men things. And he’s quiet. Seems thoughtful, and actually listens before replying.”

“Oh, Cat . . . you’re falling for this guy,” Lysa grinned. “You should hear yourself talk about him.”

“Oh hush. I barely know him. Now stop grinning at me like a fool and tell me about your day.”  
_______________________________________________________________________________________

The morning had gone by fairly quickly, and Catelyn found herself reasonably comfortable in her new job. She had an excellent memory so learning where various books were located came easily to her, and she’d always been good with people so interacting with the customers proved to be no problem. The computerized inventory and the cash register had tripped her up a few times, but Ned had been wonderful about helping her out. 

It had been just the two of them in the bookstore almost the entire time. Melisandre had been there to welcome her and instruct her in a few things but had quickly left, stating that the store wouldn’t be busy enough through the morning to warrant more than two people there. That had surprised Catelyn as the woman barely knew her. 

“She must trust you a great deal,” Catelyn had said to Ned as she’d watched the woman pull on her long red coat and waltz out of the door.

“I don’t know that it’s me,” Ned had replied. “She’s never left me here by myself, but she would leave Missy and me here together. She worked here until three weeks ago. I think Melisandre only hires people she trusts, and she tends to decide whether or not she trusts them on the spot.” He gave her one of his almost smiles. “Not the way I’d do business necessarily, but it seems to have worked for her so far.”

Catelyn had laughed a little self-consciously. “Well, I’m glad I passed muster.”

“She’s right about Tuesday mornings,” Ned had assured her then. “You and I can handle it, and you just ask me any time you have a question. You have nothing to worry about, Catelyn.”

That had been the first time she’d heard him say her name, and she discovered she liked the sound of it in his deep voice. _Woah, girl,_ she’d reminded herself. She’d fallen hard and fast for one Jaime Lannister and learned quickly enough that love at first sight is a mirage. She was definitely not falling for Ned, whatever Lysa thought. She just thought he was a very nice guy, that’s all.

They didn’t really converse the rest of the morning other than his patient answers and explanations whenever she had work-related questions. She realized very quickly that he almost never spoke unless someone spoke to him first other than the obligatory friendly greeting whenever a customer came in. But he didn’t strike her as rude or stand-offish. Just reserved. And he conversed readily enough when someone did speak to him.

Just before lunch, she was straightening a display when her hand slipped and sent a tower of books crashing to the floor.

“Graddakh!” she muttered under her breath. She whirled around to see if there were any customers present and nearly collided with Ned who stood there staring at her with the biggest grin she’d ever seen on his face. If she weren’t so irritated at his smiling at her misery, she might have allowed herself to dwell on how much more attractive it made his face. “It isn’t nice to take joy in others’ misfortunes, you know,” she snapped at him.

The grin immediately faded, replaced by a look of distress. “I’m not . . . I mean, of course I wouldn’t . . I just . . .” And as he stammered and continued to look at her somewhat incredulously, the grin started to make its way back onto his face. “Did you just . . . swear . . . in Dothraki?”

Catelyn actually drew in her breath. “I . . . um . . . yes? I don’t . . . well, my father never approved of swearing, and I just got in the habit of using it.” She could feel her cheeks reddening. “It kept me out of trouble,” she babbled on, “but allowed me the satisfaction of expressing my . . . um, irritation . . . at things.”

He stooped to the ground and began picking up books, still grinning up at her. “So you’ve read the Khaleesi series.”

“Every last book,” she smiled, crouching down to begin gathering fallen books herself. “Read the first one when I was in about the eighth grade, and I was hooked instantly.”

“Me, too,” Ned replied. “Started them at about the same age. Of course, I’m afraid I’ll be ninety by the time he finishes the series. It’s been a long wait since the last book.”

“I know!” Catelyn exclaimed, and they happily chatted away about the fantasy series based on a young woman who finds her herself the unlikely leader of a band of horse-riding warriors who roam wild lands far from her home and gets involved in all sorts of political and military intrigue all spiced up with a bit of magic as they rebuilt the display.

When Melisandre returned at 12:30pm and told them both to take a half hour for lunch, they sat and ate the sandwiches they’d each brought from home and discussed _The Khaleesi_ and several other books they enjoyed. She also learned that while the recent cold spell was driving her crazy, he quite enjoyed it and was actually rooting for a lot of snow over the winter. He laughed out loud at the expression on her face, and she felt entirely too pleased with herself for making him laugh so genuinely. His face really was remarkably handsome when he smiled like that. 

By the day’s end, Catelyn knew that while she’d never admit it in a million years to Lysa, she was developing a serious crush on her coworker.  
___________________________________________________________________________________

She and Ned didn’t work together until the weekend as he was off on Wednesday, she was off on Thursday, and they each did a half day that Friday. She had arrived Friday afternoon a bit early for her shift, telling herself it was definitely not so that she could see him for a few moments at least. She also told herself she wasn’t disappointed when she learned he had already left for the day.

On Saturday, Melisandre was taking the entire day off so Catelyn knew it would be just Ned and her all day. Apparently she’d been humming to herself as she got ready for work that morning, much to Lysa’s amusement.

“Say hi to Neddy boy for me!” she called from where she reclined on the sofa in her PJ’s, making kiss-kiss faces as Catelyn headed out the door.

“Shut it, Lysa! And maybe do a load of laundry while you’re lounging around here today!”

Lysa worked at a daycare from 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday which meant she always had Saturdays off. “Whatever!” she replied to Catelyn, and then shouted as the door closed, “You’re totally crushing on him!”

Ned had arrived at the bookstore before she got there, and he smiled genuinely enough to see her, but he seemed a bit subdued. The store was fairly busy through the morning so they didn’t have much time to talk to each other, but at 1pm, it finally emptied out. Melisandre had told them they could put up the closed sign for thirty minutes and eat lunch together rather than taking it in shifts, so they decided to hang the little sign with the clock on in the front door, marked ‘Back at 1:30’ and gratefully sat down to eat.

Ned was very quiet, even more so than when she’d first been introduced to him so Catelyn tried to draw him out. “My sister keeps making fun of me because I don’t know your last name,” she said.

“Yeah? Well, you could point out to her that I didn’t know you had a sister . . . but she might not take that kindly.”

“She wouldn’t,” Catelyn said. “She’s my younger sister, and if she were here, she’d tell you all about how she’s the forgotten sister.”

“Oh dear. Is she truly forgotten or does she just think she is?”

It was an excellent question, and Catelyn hesitated before responding. “She isn’t forgotten. Not really. But I’m the oldest and we have a brother who’s quite a bit younger than both of us. Our mom died when I was twelve.”

“I’m sorry,” Ned interrupted.

“Thank you. Anyway, my dad is . . . he’s not a bad person. He’s not even a bad father compared to so many I’ve seen. But . . . he got kind of lost when my mother died. I was always his favorite. I didn’t realize that when we were growing up, but it was there. My mother kind of evened things out, you know? And then she was gone. And Daddy didn’t really give any of us any attention for a long time, and I sort of took care of Lysa and Edmure—that’s my sister and brother. And tried to make perfect grades at school and never get in trouble so that I wouldn’t make him any sadder than he was. And as he started to pay attention to us again, that’s what he latched onto first. Decided that I was strong and smart and capable. And he would always point that out to everyone. Made Lysa and Ed feel second best and unimportant. Especiallly Lysa, because Ed always got some notice for being the baby and being a boy. And Lysa was just there. My father loves her very much, but he didn’t always make her feel it. And that wasn’t fair.”

“It wasn’t fair to you, either.”

“What?”

“It wasn’t fair to you. Trying to be perfect. To live up to impossible standards. To take care of younger siblings who probably resented you at times for things that weren’t your fault.”

“I . . .” She swallowed hard. It was ridiculous that she was telling all of this to a man she’d known a week. And absolutely crazy that he seemed to see inside her so well, even the things she tried not to see herself. “It was hard sometimes,” she admitted. “But while I know my father loves all of us, he did show that love more to me, and that hurt them.”

“That’s not your fault.” 

“No, it’s not. But I still feel badly about it.”

“Don’t. We all hurt people sometimes without intending to. And sometimes people who are hurt blame us when we didn’t cause it. All you can do is try to love them without losing yourself or letting their pain cause you to punish yourself.”

“Sounds simple enough, but I don’t know if I’d be very good at actually doing it. Are you?”

“No. I’m terrible at doing any of that.”

“Well, we’re quite a pair then, aren’t we?” she said as brightly as she could, wanting to lighten the mood. “And I still don’t know your last name.”

“Stark,” he said. “Ned Stark. Well . . . Eddard actually, but no one calls me that except my father when he’s very disappointed in me.”

“I can’t imagine you giving him many reasons to be disappointed.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Stark . . .” She grinned at him. “Isn’t that the name of the family that runs that big lumber and construction company up north? Winterfell Building and Lumber, I think. Seems like they build just about everything all over the country. Have you heard of them?”

“Yes, I’ve heard of them.” He smiled. “But I prefer it when people associate my last name with Iron Man.”

She laughed. “Tony Stark! Of course!! But he’s a billionaire, too, you know. So with a last name like that, maybe you’re destined for wealth and fame. And possibly to save the world.”

“Then the world is in serious trouble, Catelyn.”

“Cat.” He looked at her in puzzlement. “That’s what most of my friends and family call me. Not that I object to being called Catelyn. I _like_ my name, _Eddard._ But if you want to shorten sometimes, feel free to call me Cat.

“Deal. And Catelyn is a beautiful name.” 

“Thank you.” 

“It suits you. Very much.” He looked at her intently with an unreadable expression for a few moments, and then stood up abruptly. “I’ll go open the door.” 

“It’s not quite 1:30pm.” 

“But we are finished with lunch. I wouldn’t want to turn away anyone desperate for a good book.” 

She felt somewhat unsettled by their conversation. She still liked him a great deal and thought he was one of the most insightful men she’d ever met. She also got the distinct impression he liked her. Yet, there was something he felt badly about, and she couldn’t quite figure out what it was.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The shop was closed on Sunday, but Ned and Catelyn both worked Monday. Melisandre was there as well, but she mostly stayed in her office, coming out only if there were more than a few customers in the store. Several times through the morning, Catelyn caught Ned looking at his cell phone and then putting it quickly away. Finally, just before lunch, she watched him pull it out of his pocket, stare at it momentarily and then sigh. As he put it back in his pocked his face darkened into a frown that might be concern or anger or both. 

“Ned,” she said softly. He actually jumped, and she reached out to touch him on the arm. “Is something wrong?” 

“What? No. I’m fine.” 

She took a deep breath and decided to push the matter. “You’re not fine. You’ve been looking at your phone all morning, and I’ve never seen you take it out except on breaks before. And you look . . . concerned. Is there something wrong? 

He sighed deeply. “Probably not.” Then he shook his head. “I don’t know.” 

“Ned, what’s going on? Maybe I can help.” 

“No, Cat. You can’t help with this. Truthfully, there’s been a lot wrong for a long time, and I’m not certain anything can help.” He looked up at her and met her eyes. “What has me concerned at the moment is that my wife stayed home sick from work this morning, and she isn’t answering her phone. Calls or texts.” 

_His wife. His wife. His wife._

Catelyn tried very hard not to react to the word ‘wife’ even as it kept reverberating in her brain. She swallowed hard and said, “If you are worried about her, I can cover while you go check on her.” 

She could hear her voice shake and he must have to, because he said swiftly, “I didn’t intend to conceal the fact I’m married, Catelyn. It’s simply that . . . my wife and I are . . . not really in a good place. I’m not good at pretending, and I didn’t want to talk to you about my marital problems. We’ve only known each other a little more than a week, and that seemed rather a lot to dump on a new acquaintance—even one as kind as you.” 

Catelyn wasn’t quite certain what to say. She’d never asked Ned if he was married. They’d never discussed their love lives at all. She had no reason to feel so shocked, and even less to feel hurt. “It’s . . . it’s fine. Don’t worry about it, Ned. Let me cover you so can go, okay?” 

He sighed and looked away from her. “She’s probably not there,” he said softly. 

“What?” Catelyn asked, genuinely confused. 

“We, um, argued quite a bit over the weekend. We’d agreed to talk—sort of discuss where we are now and where we go from here. But it turned into a lot of anger and blaming and . . . I don ‘t even know what.” He turned to look at her again. “On both sides, to be fair.” He sighed heavily again. “She does have a cold, but . . . when she’s unhappy, she likes to be on her own. Take ‘me day,’ she calls it. She’s ditched work and any number of other things for her ‘me days’ in the past. It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s she’s doing today.” 

“So she’s unhappy?” Catelyn asked him gently. 

“Of course, she is. She just spent an entire day with me.” He walked a few steps away from her and then turned back to face her. “Look, Cat, none of this is your problem, and I’m sorry to bring you into it at all. But . . . if you could cover for just a half hour? I can walk home and back in that time. If she is too sick to pick up her phone, I ought to make sure she’s all right. And if she isn’t . . . maybe I just need to know.” 

“Sure. Whatever you need. I’m good here.” 

As he left the store, Catelyn felt a long way from good, and she was thoroughly irritated with herself over it. Ned Stark was nothing but a guy she’d just met. A married guy, it turned out. Crushing on a guy so hard after nothing more than a few conversations that her heart hurt to learn he was married was bullshit. Jaime Lannister had taught her well enough that love at first sight was definitely full of crap and convinced her that true love itself may be nothing more than fiction. So why was she acting like this? 

Ned returned in less than twenty minutes. When Catelyn looked at him, he shrugged. “Don’t know where she went, but she isn’t home. So I came straight back. Any customers?” 

“Uh . . . no,” she replied, shaking her head. “Two girls came in and looked around for a bit, but they’re gone. No one’s here now. Mel never came out of her office. I don’t even think she knows you left.” 

“I clocked out. Thank you for covering me. I’m gonna go clock in and get back to those inventory sheets I was working on this morning. Holler at me if you need me.” He then walked to the back of the store without waiting for her to reply. 

Business was fairly slow through most of the early afternoon, and Ned stayed in the back. They got hit with a bit of a rush in the last hour before closing during which she and Ned both worked the register while Melisandre answered questions and helped people find books, but they didn’t really speak about anything except work. Ned didn’t look at his phone again, and when they closed up for the night, he simply said goodbye before turning to walk in the direction of his apartment. 

“How’s Neddy boy?” Lysa grinned when she walked into her own apartment. 

“Married.” 

“Say what?” 

“Married, Lysa. You heard me.” 

“What the hell? You mean this asshole has a wife and never bothered to mention it? You should . . .” 

“Shut it, Lysa,” Catelyn tiredly. “Just . . . let it go.” 

________________________________________________________________________________ 

Over the next month, Catelyn thought she was doing a pretty good job of letting it go, herself. Things had been a bit awkward between Ned and herself for a week or so, but they’d managed to find their way back to their budding friendship the day the author of the Khaleesi series announced a release date for the next book. It was nearly a year away, but still, it was an actual release date. They’d both arrived to work ridiculously excited over the news, (Catelyn had been called a ‘hopeless book nerd’ over her squealing about it by Lysa at least twenty times before ever leaving home that morning) and they laughed the morning away speculating where various storylines might go and throwing Dothraki phrases back and forth. Melisandre seemed genuinely amused by the two of them and actually pulled some cash out of the drawer at noon, ordering them to go treat themselves to a real lunch to celebrate. 

They walked to a little café about a block away without saying much to each other. It occurred to Catelyn, they’d never spent a moment together outside the bookstore before. It had been so easy to talk to him, to tease him to laugh him again that morning inside the store, and she realized how much she’d missed it. 

“I’ve missed you,” Ned said as if he’d been reading her mind. She stopped walking at his words. 

He stopped, too, and turned to face her. “I’m sorry, Catelyn. I’m sorry that I let my messy life make things difficult between us. But I like you. A lot. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I honestly consider you a friend. That is . . . I’d very much like to have you as a friend.” 

She smiled at him. She couldn’t help herself as he stood there looking at her with those solemn grey eyes, stumbling over his words as if he couldn’t possibly deserve her friendship but felt compelled to tell her how much he liked her anyway. 

“You have me as a friend, Ned. I really like you, too.” 

His smile in return lit up his face, and he offered her his arm in a formal gesture that rather made her laugh as he escorted her the last few steps into the café. 

After they’d ordered, they chatted for a few moments about the books again, but then Catelyn asked gently, “Are you doing okay, Ned?” 

“What?” he asked, seeming genuinely confused by her question. 

The waitress brought their food, giving Catelyn a chance to think about her response. “Ned, we can chit-chat about the Dothraki wars all through lunch if you’d like. But you did say you wanted me for a friend. Friends care about each other, and while I don’t want to pry into your personal life, I am worried about you after what happened—you know, the day I covered for you.” 

He was quiet for a long moment. “That day wasn’t unusual, Cat. It’s simply the first time it got quite so bad since I’ve known you. Because Barb and I tried to have a real conversation, and those don’t go so well anymore.” 

“Have you made up after your argument?” she asked tentatively. 

“We haven’t argued since that day.” He smiled at her sadly. “It isn’t the same thing as making up, but it’s about as good as it gets between us these days.” 

“Ned, that isn’t any way to. . .” 

“To live? I know that, Catelyn. But it’s the life I have right now. I’m trying to make the best of it that I can.” 

“I don’t understand.” 

“No . . . you couldn’t possibly.” Her irritation at that comment must have shown on her face because he quickly added, “Because you don’t know anything about my marriage, my family, my past. Because I haven’t told you. It isn’t you, Cat. You are honestly one of the most understanding people I’ve ever met—certainly one of the kindest and most open. I’m possibly the least open person I know—and that’s saying something considering my family is full of people who keep the world at arm’s length.” 

“You don’t have to keep me at arm’s length, Ned. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but . . . I’ve missed you, too, this past week. It seems crazy because we haven’t known each other long, but we do seem to connect somehow. I told you more about my father than I ever tell ‘just coworkers’. You’re my friend. Let me be yours.” She realized how much she meant those words as she said them. Ridiculous crushes aside, Ned struck her as a really good person who needed a friend. And she wanted this friendship. 

“I married Barb when I was eighteen.” 

“What?” 

“It gets worse, I’m afraid.” Ned shook his head. “Barb’s almost two years older than I am. She was in my brother’s class at school. And she was his girlfriend.” 

“Oh, Ned . . .” Catelyn said, shaking her head. 

“I know. I haven’t told anyone this story before . . . well, not anyone who doesn’t already know a lot of it, anyway. Neither Barb nor I come off very well in it, I’m afraid. But we were just dumb kids at the time. I try to remember that when I find myself hating one of us too much.” He smiled at her. “If you like me a lot less after hearing it, I’ll understand entirely.” 

“I was a dumb kid once, too. Go on.” 

“Brandon . . . that’s my older brother . . . is very handsome, very charming, successful at just about anything he tries. Sort of the opposite of me.” 

“Stop insulting yourself and just tell me your story, Ned.” 

He gave a small laugh. “Anway, we grew up with Barb. Her father worked for our father, and our families had known each other forever. I think Brandon really did like her, and God knows Barb was totally in love with him. Problem was that Brandon likes women too much. As in lots of them.” 

“Oh,” Catelyn mouthed almost inaudibly. 

“Yes. Barb know he’d cheated on her in high school, but she wrote it off to his being young and being pretty much a superstar in our little corner of the world. He always told her he loved only her, and she forgave him. Her father made her stay in town and go to the community college after they graduated, and Brandon got a scholarship to play football at a big university. Within three months, he was all over social media—first with all sorts of girls, and then with one girl in particular. He’d still get with Barb every time he came home and swear to her that the photos didn’t mean anything, and everybody acted that way at college parties. But he never invited her to campus. She finally went on her own, tracked down the girl from the photos and mentioned she knew Brandon from high school. The girl showed her a ring and told her she was Brandon’s fiancée.” 

“Oh, wow.” 

“Yeah. Barb didn’t say a thing to her except congratulations.” 

“She wasn’t furious?” 

“Oh, she was. But Barb doesn’t get mad so much as she gets even. She came home and told me about it, crying on my shoulder. I was still in high school and had just gotten my heart broken by my first love. Anyhow, she needed me. She told me how we could make Brandon and Ashara—that was the girl I’d loved—sorry. We started pretending to date just to make them jealous. Stupid and childish, I know. But somewhere along the way, we started enjoying hanging out together. We no longer talked about Bran or Ash. We talked about us, the things we liked, what we wanted to do with our lives. I fell in love with her. And she . . . well, I thought she fell in love with me. She did feel something for me. Some days she says she still does. It’s just . . . things aren’t always what they seem with Barb.” 

“But you fell in love and just decided to get married young?” 

“No. We fake dated from the end of my junior year in high school to about Christmas of senior year. Brandon was pissed off about the whole thing. He didn’t really want Barb, at least not the way she wanted him, but he didn’t want anyone else to have her either. He’d suspected the whole thing between us was a sham because he knew how devious Barb could be, but when we were still a thing at Christmas after months together, he decided he’d had enough and told me he wouldn’t let me date her any longer. I realized I was in love and stood up to him. Barb saw me tell him off and declared her love for me that night. After that, well . . . we were together for real the rest of my high school year. We started arguing after I graduated because I wanted to go away for college and she wanted me to stay in town with her. I kept telling her I wasn’t Brandon. And she’d tell me she knew that. Looking back, maybe I should have listened that more closely. Anyway, she got pregnant. Two months after I graduated. She was terrified. I told her I would always be there. We got married without telling anyone. Our families weren’t happy about it. We left town.” 

“You have a baby? A child?” 

He shook his head sadly. “Brandon wasn’t home when we found out about the baby and got married. He was off traveling with his fiancée. I didn’t really speak to him much back then for obvious reasons, but when he did find out, he came looking for us. Started yelling at Barb for using me and telling her he wouldn’t let her do this, and I had no idea what he was talking about.” He stopped talking and his face looked like it was carved in stone. 

“Ned?” 

“We’d always used condoms, you know. But sometimes things happen anyway. I knew that. I never doubted her. Turns out she’d doubted me, though. When we’d been arguing about my going away to school, she was convinced I’d leave her. She’d gone to see Brandon and asked him to tell me to stay. He’d told her he’d never encourage his little brother to stick around just for his sloppy seconds.” He looked down at the table then, and Catelyn saw a muscle in his jaw work. “She only told me exactly what he said months later, and he didn’t deny it. He also told her he knew she didn’t want me anyway. Not as much as she wanted him. And they slept together.” 

“She slept with him after he said those horrible things?” Catelyn asked in disbelief. 

“A heat of the moment thing, she called it. And no condom.” 

“The baby was Brandon’s?” 

“We’ll never know for sure. She believes it was. So does he. The dates matched. But she damn near lost her mind after he came and confronted her with me right there. Took a bunch of pills. Nearly died. Lost the baby.” 

“Oh, Ned, I’m so sorry! I had no idea.” 

“Of course you didn’t. How could you? It’s my life and it sometimes seems unbelievable. Anyway, that was over four years ago. I stayed with Barb. She said she loved me and was sorry she hadn’t told me. Said she was afraid of losing me, too. We tried to make it work. We really did. Both of us. And for maybe a year, we were sort of okay. But it hasn’t been okay for a long time now.” 

“Why do you . . .” 

“Stay? Because she’s my wife, Catelyn. I made a vow.” 

“Are you saying you don’t believe in divorce? Regardless of how miserable both of you are?” 

“No, that’s not what I mean. Honestly, I’ve believed we’d both be happier if we let each other go for quite awhile now. But she doesn’t want to hear that. She won’t hear it. I honestly don’t know what love means to Barbrey. I don’t know if she loves me or loves Brandon or if love even has the same meaning for her as it does to me. But I do know how hard she fights to hold onto the things that are hers—the lengths she was willing to go to keep Brandon and now the lengths she has gone to in order to keep me. I’m hers, Cat. She can’t stand me more often than not, but she won’t give me up. In her mind, that’s love. And I did stand before God and promise to be hers. I can’t just leave her if she wants me to stay.” 

“I don’t know what to say. I feel terrible for you.” 

“I honestly feel better just knowing I have a friend who just heard the whole sordid tale and hasn’t run away screaming.” He gave her a tiny crooked smile. “You aren’t getting ready to run away screaming, are you?” 

“No,” she said firmly. “Ned, I can’t imagine what all this has been like for you. And I’m not going to sit here and give you a bunch of unsolicited advice. Whether I agree with your decisions or not, it’s your place to make them, not mine. I’m not living your life, so I’ll listen to you when you need a friendly ear, and I’ll give you my thoughts any time you ask for them, but you don’t have to agree with them. I’m still your friend.” 

“You may well be my best friend, Catelyn Tully.” He then laughed. “Just don’t tell Robert.” 

“Who’s Robert?” 

“My best friend. But he isn’t nearly as good a listener.” He laughed again. “I don’t know that he listens at all . . . to anyone . . . except on very rare occasions. But he’d pull me out of a burning building or beat up anybody I asked him to without hesitation. I’ve actually had to specifically tell him not to beat up a few people he felt wronged me in the past.” He shook his head. “He’s loud and cocky and prone to thoughtlessness, but underneath all that he’s honestly a decent man.” 

“Sounds charming. With a best friend like that, you definitely need to acquire some additional friends!” 

“He’s incredibly good looking. And single . . . Would you like to meet him?” 

“No! I’ll have you know I dated a cocky, thoughtless man who looks like Adonis for quite some time, and I have zero desire to repeat the experience.” 

“Adonis, huh?” Ned asked, arching an eyebrow. 

Catelyn suppressed a laugh. “Well, if you factor in his personality, more like Narcissus. But yes, his looks are movie star perfection. Just ask him, if you don’t believe me.” 

She thought her remark was pretty funny, but Ned didn’t laugh. 

“Are? Do you still date him?” 

“No! Good riddance! He is not dead, however, so I assume he’s still gorgeous. Present tense.” 

“Whatever else he is, I know he’s a fool.” Ned looked her directly in the eyes as he spoke, and his voice made her skin tingle. They looked at each other for a few beats, and then Ned grinned. “Anyway, if you’re going to be so critical of my best friend, tell me about yours.” 

“Oh, she’s lovely! And very loyal to me. Teases me too much which can get annoying. Sometimes whiny or pouty. Sometimes jealous. And she can get mad at me for things that are entirely not my fault. But she’s funny and enthusiastic and believes I’m greater than I believe myself to be.” 

“You’re talking about Lysa.” 

“I am,” she smiled, touched that Ned remembered not only her sister’s name, but the things she had spoken about her. “She’s my little sister, yes. But she is also my best friend.” 

“I have a little sister,” Ned said as the waitress came with their checks. “She isn’t speaking to me at the moment, but I love her to pieces.” 

Catelyn raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh, I’m afraid my siblings are a topic for a whole other lunch. And we’d better get back or Mel is going to regret doing this and never treat us to lunch again!” 

Over dinner that evening, she told Lysa she’d had lunch with Ned. “He really is a good man.” 

“A married man,” Lysa said around the enormous bite she had just taken from her roll. “Who insists on flirting with my sister.” 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full. And Ned doesn’t flirt.” 

“Yes, Mother,” Lysa replied as soon as she swallowed. “And what do you call it then, if it’s not flirting?” 

“Talking. You know, the same thing we’re doing here,” she said pointedly. “Although Ned doesn’t talk with his mouth full. We had a long conversation, Lysa, about some serious stuff. We’re friends.” 

“Friends, yeah. Men and women aren’t friends. They go from casual acquaintances to ‘I wanna jump your bones.’ Nothing in between.” 

“Your personal experience is not the standard for every man and woman in the world.” 

“Ha. Ha. Name one good male friend you had when we were growing up. Just one.” 

Catelyn simply looked at her in silence. Lysa knew perfectly well all her friends had been girls except the one she wouldn’t name. 

“Go on,” Lysa encouraged her. “Tell me how you loved Petyr totally as a friend all those years.” 

“I hate the ground he walks on,” Catelyn said flatly, “But yes, I did once love him dearly as a friend. And the fact that he harbored romantic feelings toward me does not change the fact that it was entirely possible for me to love him with no romantic feelings whatever.” 

“Well, I appreciate your loyalty, Cat, but the point is he did wanna jump _your_ bones. And in any close male/female friendship—assuming both are straight—one of them is destined to fall for the other—which is a mess even if it’s one-sided. I ought to know.” 

“Lysa, Ned is nothing like Petyr, I assure you. And our friendship is nothing like mine was with Petyr—even if he hadn’t turned out to be a sick little creep.” 

“True. You were never crushing on Petyr.” 

“Lysa—“ 

“I know, I know. Shut it.” Lysa shook her head. “Look. I blamed you a long time for everything that happened with Petyr and me. And all you ever did was tell me the truth. And I wouldn’t listen. Now, I’m telling you the truth. You like this guy, Cat. I can tell. And from what you say about him, he seems to like you, too. Now maybe you can just be happy, platonic best friends forever, but I’ve seen this sort of thing blow up way too many times. Please be careful with your heart. Lannister didn’t manage to turn it into stone quite so successfully as you pretend he did.” 

“Lysa—“ 

“I know. Shut it.” 

“No. I love you. And I’ll be careful.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Over the next few months, Catelyn found her life feeling very full between her job, her evening classes, running around with Lysa, her work lunches with Ned, and her new, occasional Sunday lunches with her father and Edmure. 

The lunches with Dad and Ed had been Ned’s suggestion. They’d shared a bit more about their families with each other. She’d learned that his older brother was now happily married which had seemed rather unfair to her given the part he played in Ned’s current life situation, but Ned seemed to believe the man was truly remorseful for his role in Ned and Barbrey’s disastrous marriage. Apparently, he’d really turned himself around after Barbrey’s apparent suicide attempt, reaching out to both Ned and Barbrey to support them in any way possible. Barbrey wouldn’t speak to him, hadn’t spoken to him since that fateful day, but after some initial reluctance, Ned had begun to allow him back into his life very slowly and in small ways. He did seem genuinely pleased that Brandon’s life was going well. His wife was now expecting their first child. 

His sister was named Lyanna, and it seemed to Catelyn that she was the most headstrong and opinionated of all of Ned’s siblings. She’d made a few bad relationship choices on her own which Ned didn’t speak about in any detail, but she’d told Ned he was a stubborn fool for staying with Barbrey (whom she had apparently referred to by a variety of unflattering epithets Ned wouldn’t repeat.) After some particularly bad episode a couple months before Catelyn had met him, Lyanna had informed him she couldn’t be a witness to such a train wreck any longer, and that he could call her when he’d left his crazy wife, but not before. 

He had a younger brother as well, not too much older than Edmure. Unfortunately, that brother whose name Catelyn struggled to remember lived with their father, and Ned hadn’t seen him in some time. He felt guilty about that, and texted and video called him, but it wasn’t the same. Of his father, Ned said little. Catelyn knew Ned loved and respected his father a great deal. But he described him as a ‘hard man’ who believed in taking responsibility for your actions. As he’d never approved of Ned’s marriage, Ned felt he had to get his life into some semblance of order before he could face the man again. 

Catelyn thought it was his feelings of estrangement from his father and little brother that caused him to encourage her to reach out to hers. She’d told him in broad strokes about her childhood friend who’d become obsessed with her and turned to her little sister when she rebuffed him, hoping that it wouldn’t bring to mind Barbrey doing something very similar with his older brother and himself. She’d told him how Lysa had become pregnant, her father had insisted she have an abortion, and Lysa had run away instead. Of course, Lysa had gone to Petyr who’d tossed her out saying he didn’t believe it was his, and he didn’t want her because she would never be Catelyn. Lysa had come crying home only to have their father tell her Petyr’s attitude proved she needed an abortion, and Lysa had fled again. This time, Catelyn, furious at her father’s attitude, had gone with her. They’d pooled the money they had saved up to get their crummy little apartment, and Catelyn had started working at a Dairy Queen instead of going to college. Lysa ended up having a miscarriage at twelve weeks but refused to go home or even speak with their father. So the two girls had remained in their little one bedroom, Lysa eventually getting the job at the daycare and Catelyn working a couple different jobs before landing the one at the bookstore as well as trying to take at least two evening classes a semester when she had the money. 

“So your dad calls you every week?” Ned had asked her when she told him about the situation. 

“Yes. He calls Lysa, too, but she doesn’t answer. She’s still so angry. After all this time.” 

“But you talk to him?” 

“Yes. I told you, Ned. He’s my father. He messed up badly with Lysa. But I still love him. And I know he loves us.” 

“Then don’t let things go on this way.” 

“Now the pot’s calling the kettle black.” 

“It’s different, Cat. Your father is reaching out. Mine is threatening to take Benjen’s phone if he doesn’t stop using it to talk to me.” 

“Ugh! It’s pride, dammit! Why do men let stupid pride keep them from people they love?” 

“Lysa’s not a man, is she?” 

“No,” Catelyn admitted grudgingly. “But that’s more anger than pride.” 

“And what about you, Cat? You’re certainly not a man. But you have plenty of pride, yourself. You’re not really angry at your father anymore. Oh, you think he’s wrong, and you want him to be accountable for your sister’s sake. But you aren’t personally furious with him now. You miss him. But you are too proud to risk him thinking you can’t make it without him after taking this stand.” 

She’d just stared at him. 

“You know I’m right. Cat, swallow your pride. Ask the man to lunch. Hell, let him pay. But don’t take another penny from him if you don’t want to. Let him know that you _want_ his love and are willing to give him yours, but that you don’t _need_ his money or his approval as you stand by your sister.” 

“Lysa would hate me.” 

“No she wouldn’t. Oh, she might be upset with you at first. But that goes back to when you were kids right? You’re Daddy’s Little Favorite. Surely you’ve learned how to deal with Lysa’s jealousy over that by now. And you’ve said you know she misses Edmure as badly as you do and that she misses your father, too, even if she thinks she hates him. Who knows, Cat? Maybe spending time with you will soften your dad up to where he can say something at least close to what Lysa needs to hear.” 

“He’s so stubborn, Ned. You don’t know! He and Lysa are exactly alike in that.” 

“And your little brother? What’s he think about both of his sisters abandoning him?” 

“We didn’t abandon him!” 

“I know that, but does he? He’s just a kid! I know Ben feels that way about me because my father tells him I abandoned the family every time he dares to mention me in Dad’s presence. Lya shared that happy little tidbit with me not long before she cut me out. Look, I don’t know what I could do to fix all that’s wrong with my family now, but if I could go back in time and handle anything differently that might keep my family intact, I’d damn sure do it. I think you still have that chance now. Please, Cat. Do this for your brother, for your sister, even for your father. But mostly for yourself. You deserve your family. Reach out to the man.” 

In the end, Catelyn thinks she did it as much for Ned as for anyone else. It seemed that in his inability to fix any of the family problems in his own life, he was desperate to fix something in hers. So she called her father. 

The lunches had gone better than she’d ever imagined. She’d met up with Dad and Edmure four times now, and Dad by himself twice. Lysa had sulked for three days when she’d announced the first lunch but softened a bit when she’d returned with a necklace and a card for her from Edmure. Her father had also given her a letter for Lysa which she’d taken from her and laid aside. If she’d ever read it or any of the subsequent letters Hoster Tully had sent her via Catelyn, she did so when Catelyn wasn’t around. Catelyn suspected that she did read them, however, as this past week, Lysa gave her not only a video game and letter for Edmure, but a letter for their father. Hoster had nearly cried when she handed it to him, but much like his younger daughter, had then placed it away, presumably to be read in privacy at a later time and carried on with lunch. 

She’d successfully negotiated a weekend visit for Edmure at that last lunch, too. Her father was going to bring him to the bookstore when she got off work Saturday for him to spend the night at her and Lysa’s, and she’d bring him back to the bookstore on Sunday evening for Hoster to pick up. It was closed on Sunday, but Lysa still didn’t want their dad anywhere near their apartment. 

She was thinking about how far her family had come since Ned had given her that push and trying to decide what activities might best appeal to a twelve year old by when the bell chimed above the door. She was behind the register and Mel was somewhere in back. 

“Wow! You’ve gotta be Catelyn Tully!” 

Catelyn looked up to see an alarmingly tall and broad-shouldered man with jet black hair and beautiful dark blue eyes grinning at her like a maniac. 

“And who might you be?” she inquired somewhat suspiciously. 

“Awww, Neddy never mentioned me? I’m hurt! He never shuts up about you.” He gave her a look that might have caused her heart to do flip flops back in the days before Jaime Lannister had instilled her with a deep suspicion of all unnaturally handsome men. This giant who knew her name was remarkably good looking. 

_Oh._ “You must be Ned’s friend, Robert.” 

“He did mention me! Excellent. Where is he, anyway?” 

“He doesn’t work today,” Catelyn said. “His apartment isn’t far, I don’t think. You could call him and see if he’s home.” 

Robert looked at her as if she had three heads. “Please tell me you don’t just pop in at Ned’s apartment or call his cell, beautiful. You don’t need that kind of stress in your life, and I know Ned cares more about your welfare than that.” 

“What are you talking about?” Catelyn was more than a little taken aback by this large person who spoke just a little bit too loud and seemed to think they were somehow friends with some sort of common knowledge base because they both knew Ned Stark. She half wanted Melisandre to appear from the back to rescue her and half hoped she stayed away a long time so she could figure out what exactly was going on with this man. 

“I can’t text or call Ned, and I sure as hell can’t go to his apartment.” Her confusion must have shown because he then exclaimed, “Oh dear god, he hasn’t warned you?” He shook his head. “For a smart man, he can be as dense as . . . ugh. I don’t know anything that dense.” 

“What are you talking about?” Catelyn asked again with a good bit more irritation. “And why are you insulting a man who’s supposed to be your best friend?” 

Robert sighed. “He is my best friend,” he said in an almost normal volume. “And the probably the best man walking around this planet. But he has certain . . . blind spots when it comes to just how shitty people can be. Especially people he’s supposed to love or trust.” 

“Oh, I see! You’re too shitty to visit Ned’s home or even call him, and you’re suggesting that I’m too shitty as well.” 

He turned bright red and began to stammer a denial and apology until she couldn’t hide her smile any more. When he realized her comment had been sarcastic, he stopped stammering and bellowed a laugh. “Gods! You’re sharp as well as hot! No wonder Ned likes you.” Then he frowned. “But your hotness is one reason we seriously need to talk. Because it seems to me that old Ned thinks he can protect you and protect Cuckoo Barbie by just saying nothing to anyone, and that shit doesn’t work.” 

“Cuckoo Barbie? What shit doesn’t work? I’m sorry, Mr. Ned’s Friend Robert, but I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.” 

>Robert sighed. “Malibu Barbie? Astronaut Barbie? You know, all those dolls for little girls. Well, Ned’s married to Cuckoo Barbie. As in bat shit crazy. Loco. Psycho. But don’t call her that in front of Ned.” 

“I wouldn’t call her that in any circumstance. It’s insulting. And if she is really mentally ill, it’s cruel.” 

“I don’t know if she’s mentally ill or not. I know that back when she took all those pills, they called it an adjustment reaction, whatever that meant. She went to a therapist for awhile, but they never had her on any meds. But she sure as hell acts like a crazy person sometimes. And she’s mean.” 

“Mean? To whom?” 

“Well, to Ned mostly. Since he’s the one she gets angry at. She’s even smacked him a few times, but he’s strong enough to just grab her arms and hold onto her until she gets over whatever’s got her so mad when she does that. Normally, she just says awful, hateful things to him, and mostly he just lets her. Because it’s worse when he argues back. 

Catelyn thought back to Ned’s description of the Sunday he’d tried to have a ‘real discussion’ with his wife. “He told me that when they try to talk, there is anger and blame on both sides.”

“That sounds like Ned. He told me that he told you the whole story, which isn’t like him. He thinks part of being married to Cuckoo . . . I mean Barbrey . . . is protecting her. And that means protecting her from people thinking she ruined Ned’s life—which she has. Or thinking that she’s way crazier than he lets on—which she is. So he trusts you. But he barely tells himself the truth about what Barb’s really like these days. There’s no way he told you.” 

It occurred to Catelyn that in all the conversations she and Ned had, he had never once asked for her cell number or offered her his. She’d assumed that was his being overly cautious about not being a creepy married man getting overly close to a female coworker. But could there be more to it? She didn’t even know where his apartment was. Only that it was walkable from the bookstore in less than ten minutes. 

“What happens if you call Ned’s cell?” 

“Nothing as long as he’s got it on him and she’s not with him. But if it’s lying around his apartment or he’s with her and he gets any communication from me, she’ll throw a fit. She hates me because she says I whore around a lot.” He shrugged. “And I won’t say she’s entirely wrong. I mean, I’m single. I like beautiful women. I like sex. Sue me.” 

“Go on,” Catelyn said, refusing to respond to his commentary on his sexual prowess. 

“My point is that she’s married to Ned. She’s known him nearly his whole damn life. If I had the chance to name any man, and I’d drop if the guy I named ever cheated on his wife, I’d name Ned and live forever! She should know that. How can she be married to this guy and not trust him? After all she’s done to him? After all he’s stuck with her through? But she seriously thinks if he so much as spends five minutes in my company, he’s sleeping around. The last time I went to his apartment was over a year ago. He’d told her I was in town and he’d like me to come over because he didn’t want to go out without her. She said okay. She was even sort of okay when I first got there. But after about twenty minutes, she started getting angry, asking Ned what he was waiting for, why he didn’t just go on and leave like she knew he wanted to. Why else would I be there except to take him away from her out to all the cheap women that he really wants. It got very ugly very quickly. Hell, I did want to take Ned out of there, to be honest. But he wouldn’t go. He’ll never go. He thinks she’s his responsibility. He worries about her. So he stays. 

<“Look, Robert, I appreciate that you care about your friend, but what does any of this have to do with me? I don’t even know where Ned lives. I see him only at work. If you’d like me to give him a message, I can. We both work tomorrow. Or you can come back tomorrow. Other than that, I’m not sure what I can do for you.” 

“You don’t have his cell number, do you?” He phrased it as more statement than question and shook his head with a sigh when she said no. “Look. He really likes you. He’s not a creep. He’s not hitting on you, and he won’t. But he thinks you’re something special. He told me you’re smart and kind and also hot as hell.” 

She laughed out loud at the last. “Ned Stark did not say that,” she said flatly. 

He bellowed that big laugh again. “Nah. That’s my translation. You wanna know exactly what he said?” Robert cleared his throat and then cleared it again in a deeper tone. When he spoke again, he made his voice much quieter, deeper, and with a slightly formal tone to it. Catelyn had to admit it was a passable imitation of Ned’s, and she smiled. Her breath caught, however, as she listened to the very un-Robert-like words the big man spoke in that voice. “She’s not pretty, Robert. She’s . . . beautiful. I can’t describe it. It’s not just her face. It’s her. She’s kind and smart and . . . there’s just a calmness when I’m with her. And her hair! It’s . . . it’s red, but not exactly. It’s darker mostly, but with strands that are almost red gold when the light hits. It’s . . . it’s the most beautiful . . .” Robert coughed. “I can’t keep talking that low. It hurts my voice. But you get the drift, Catelyn Tully. Ned doesn’t talk that much. But lately, he talks a lot about you. Only to me, I’m sure. Ned doesn’t talk to too many people since Lyanna cut him off and Ashara . . .” He sighed. “He hasn’t told you his number or his address because he thinks if you don’t know those things, your life will cross his only in this safe little bookstore bubble. He thinks he’s keeping you safe from the shitstorm his life is. But he’s wrong. You ask him about Ashara. You ask him what happened last year.” 

“Robert! Are you harassing my employees?” Melisandre had come from the back, and her sharp eyes bored into Robert’s. Catelyn was impressed in spite of herself that he didn’t look away or even blink. 

“No ma’am,” he assured her in his booming voice. “Just making Miss Tully’s acquaintance. Heard about her from Ned. Seems I got his work schedule messed up. I’m leaving town on business, but tell him I’ll look him when I’m back in two weeks. Have him text me his schedule, would you please?” 

“Certainly, Robert. If you don’t need anything else, have a pleasant day.” Melisandre turned and went back where she had come from. 

“It seems you know everyone here,” Catelyn said to Robert. 

“I do. You should ask your boss why Missy quit. Ned isn’t the only one who keeps secrets, but you should know that one even if the lovely lady Melisandre won’t tell Ned for fear of making him feel badly.” 

“You seem to want me to ask an awful lot of people for information you have yourself. Why is that?” 

“Because you don’t trust me. I don’t even think you like me very much, but that’s okay. You like Ned. And he likes you. For those reasons, I want you know what you need to know to protect yourself from getting hurt. I love Ned like a brother, Catelyn. Hell, I love him more than my brothers. And I’m glad he has you as a friend. He needs one. I just can’t help thinking it would be better for everyone if you were less gorgeous, less young, and less female.” He then grinned at her once more, that rakish action hero grin that made it seem as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “I’d better be going before Mel gets annoyed enough to toss me out.” 

He blew her a kiss and then turned toward the door leaving Catelyn standing there staring after him. After a moment, she walked to the back of the store and found Melisandre opening boxes of books. 

“No customers?” her boss asked her. “Good,” she stated when Catelyn shook her head. “You can help me with these. Just make sure to listen for the bell.” 

“How well do you know Ned’s friend, Robert?” Catelyn asked as she grabbed a box. 

“Well enough to warn you off going out with him whatever Ned tells you.” 

“I assure you that after five minutes of conversation, I have zero desire to date him.” 

Melisandre laughed. “Good for you. He’s no good for women. Not yet anyway.” 

“Not yet?” Catelyn asked, reaching for the box cutter to slice through the strip of packing tape sealing her box. “You think there’s some hope for him.” 

Melisandre stopped pulling books out of her box and looked at Catelyn with a thoughtful expression. “I think all people are capable of many good things and no person is capable of all good things. Certainly, I have seen people change—for better and for worse—over time. Robert may not yet be everything he will become.” 

Catelyn made a non-committal sort of sound. Melisandre was prone to philosophical, spiritual psychobabble at times. Ned had warned her that when encouraged, Mel would ramble on about the nature of human souls at length so Catelyn tended to keep her responses to such talk polite but brief. As she pulled back the flaps to open her newly unsealed box, Mel spoke again. 

“He is a good friend to Ned, however. Has been for a very long time.” 

Catelyn chewed her lip as she pulled books out, carefully not looking at her boss. “He doesn’t seem to like Ned’s wife very much,” she said as casually as possible. 

“Catelyn.” Melisandre’s sharp pronouncement of her name was far too reminiscent of her father’s when he was disappointed in her, and she looked up quickly. 

The other woman’s face had a stern expression. “You like Ned a great deal, I know. But you have no cause to be asking questions of people about his wife.” 

“I’m not!” Catelyn protested, ignoring the fact that she had very much been hoping that Mel would tell her something about Barbrey Stark that would help her understand. “That Robert guy just waltzed in here and started talking about her and telling me to . . . be careful or something.” 

“Robert should mind his own business. He thinks he should help, but he is like a wrecking ball.” 

“Why did Missy quit working here?” 

“Dammit, Robert, can you never keep your mouth shut?” Melisandre exclaimed. Then she grabbed Catelyn’s hand and pulled her into through the store into her office. “Sit,” she commanded. 

Wordlessly, Catelyn took a seat in the same chair she had sat in when interviewing for this job. 

“You must give me your word you will not repeat what I tell you. I am trusting that your word is better than that great oaf’s was.” 

“You want me to keep something from Ned?” Catelyn asked her. “We’re friends. I can’t just keep . . .” 

“Everyone keeps secrets, Catelyn. And this is one that hurts no one. Missy is quite happy with her new employment. I know because I found her the position and have checked on her since. Sharing the details of her departure will only cause another person unhappiness, and there is enough unhappiness in the world without adding to it needlessly.” 

Catelyn looked down. “I promise,” she said to her lap, still feeling wrong about this. “I won’t tell Ned why Missy quit.” She looked up to see Melisandre frowning at her, apparently unimpressed with the quality of her oath. 

“Missy and Ned were not friends the way you two are,” Melisandre began. “Oh, they were nice enough to each other, but they had very little in common. I don’t know that Missy ever read a book before she worked here. She certainly doesn’t speak any fictional languages.” Mel paused to smile at Catelyn’s blush. “Personally, I find the Khaleesi series a bit derivative, but I’ve known to spout Tolkien’s elvish on occasion. In any event, Missy is a sweet girl who worked hard even if she didn’t necessarily love the job and as you know, Ned is an extremely kind man. One day, a rainstorm popped up at closing time when the two of them were here, and she hadn’t brought an umbrella or worn a jacket, the silly thing. Ned had a very large umbrella and insisted on walking her to the bus station before going home himself.” 

That didn’t surprise Catelyn in the least. 

“Their route took them past Ned’s apartment, and it seems his wife saw the two of them walking together in the rain. Ned’s never mentioned it, but she must have questioned him when he returned home. And he must have assured her that he was simply lending his umbrella to a coworker.” 

“How would you know that if he’s never said anything?” Catelyn asked hesitantly. 

“Because the phone calls started. She’d call here when she knew Ned wasn’t in and hang up if I answered. If Missy answered, she’d demand to know what she was doing with her husband. Warning her to stay away from him.” 

“She threatened her?” 

“I don’t know that she specifically threatened her, but Missy was very upset by the calls.” 

“Did she tell Ned?” 

“I told her not to.” 

“What? How could you allow the woman to do that to her? Ned could have . . .” 

“Ned could have done what, precisely? Gotten her to stop calling? Yes, he probably could have. But he’d likely have had to stop working here. And I need Ned. He actually likes working here and he’s very good at this job. And there aren’t a lot of other jobs available this close to home for him. And it’s best for him to be close to home, at least for now. The only thing Missy needed from this job was her paycheck. I called in a favor and got her a new job with small pay increase. I doubt Ned’s wife even knows her full name, and I’m quite certain that when he informed her Missy quit things settled down for him as well.” 

“It still seems wrong somehow.” 

“Life isn’t always fair, Catelyn. If you haven’t learned that by now, you should. But in this case, Missy is fine. She’s happier now, truly. And Ned is as content as he can be. He considers himself responsible for his wife’s wellbeing, however. And if he knew what had occurred, he’d feel he’d failed in seeing to his wife’s concerns and in protecting Missy. Tell me you think I’m wrong.” 

“You aren’t wrong,” Catelyn said quietly. “But none of this was Ned’s fault. All he did was keep someone out of the rain.” 

“People frequently take on the responsibility for many things which are not their fault. Ned Stark does so even more than most. Be his friend, Catelyn. Talk about books and make him smile. But don’t push him where he’s not ready to go. He has to sort out his own life on his own time. Robert Baratheon has a hard time accepting that. Hopefully, you can do better.” 

Catelyn nodded just as the door chimed. “I’d better get out there,” she said, rising from her chair. As she turned to go, she registered what Melisandre had said. “Did you say Baratheon?” she asked. “As in the shipping tycoons?” 

“I don’t know any shipping tycoons,” Melisandre said dismissively. “Only Ned’s loud friend.” 

“Hmm. I wonder . . .” Catelyn murmured as she left Mel’s office to be greeted by a couple with at least a hundred questions about children’s books.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Catelyn got the store early the next morning. It was just her and Ned until the afternoon as Mel was off at an expo from a local publishing house. She was waiting for him when he came in. 

“Your friend Robert was looking for you yesterday,” she greeted him. 

“Robert? Why would he . . . Oh, damn. I forgot to tell him my work schedule changed.” 

“The schedule for this week was changed a month ago.” 

“Yeah . . . he’s been out of town for like six weeks though. I’ll have to text him and see if he wants to meet up.” 

“He’s out of town again. Said he’d be gone for two weeks, but wants you to send him his schedule for after that.” 

“Aww, I hate I missed him.” Ned pulled his phone out, likely to text Robert right then. 

“I suggested he text you or just drop by your place since you said it isn’t far.” 

Ned’s head snapped up at those words. 

“Of course, he explained to me why he can’t ever do either of those things.” 

“Cat . . .” 

“Ned, I know your personal life is none of my business, but it’s ridiculous that no one can text or call you. And that your best friend isn’t allowed in your home.” 

“Catelyn, please. I know it’s . . . odd. I just . . . I’m trying to keep the peace for a bit. The cell phone thing—that’s gotten way out of control over the past year. It’s one of the things Barb and I argued about the day before I told you I was married. But whatever Robert told you about my wife . . . you have to keep in mind that he hates Barb. He’s hated her ever since he found out the whole thing with Brandon and the baby.” 

Catelyn sighed. “So . . . your best friend hates your wife. Your sister, whom you’ve told me is closest to you of all your siblings refuses to have anything to do with you because of your wife. Is there anyone who gets along with her?” 

Ned put his hands on his face. “Look, I can’t do this right now. The store opens in two minutes. If you want to talk, we can talk at lunch, all right? If we wait until one to take lunch, Mel should be back and we can take it together.” 

“Okay.” 

The morning passed more quickly than Catelyn expected it to as the shop was somewhat busier than normal. She and Ned spoke to each other about trivialities but neither mentioned his wife or Robert. Melisandre didn’t actually make it in until nearly two, excitedly chattering about several new authors who had impressed her, and it took nearly another half hour before she realized neither Ned nor Catelyn had taken their lunch and sent them on their way. 

It was a nice day, so Ned suggested they walk to the park and eat there. Catelyn suspected he didn’t want to speak with Mel anywhere around. 

“Barb wasn’t always like this,” he said before they even sat down on the bench. “She had friends. She enjoyed going out with other people. Looking back, she always did want things to go just right . . . just the way she wanted them, I mean. And she never took slights well. But she didn’t imagine slights. You could joke with her and she knew you were joking. Brandon did a hell of a number on her, Catelyn. She went from thinking the sun shined out his ass to thinking he’s pretty much Satan over the course of their relationship.” 

“And she still hopped in bed with him after all of that when she was supposedly in love with you.” 

“Yeah. She did. And that fucking hurt. But . . . I do think she honestly regretted that. She could have told Brandon she thought the kid was his, you know. He wasn’t married yet, and once that’s exactly what she would have done. She’d have done anything to try and get him back. But that time she came back to me.” 

“And lied to you about being pregnant with your child.” 

“Yeah. I’m not defending anything she did, Cat. I know it sounds like I am. It’s just . . . she did a lot of messed up shit. But she also had a lot of messed up shit done to her by Brandon. And I . . .” 

“You are not Brandon, Ned. It’s not your responsibility to fix what he broke. And honestly, it sounds like she wasn’t the world’s nicest person to begin with.” 

“Nice,” he said with a laugh. “No. I don’t think anyone would ever come up with ‘nice’ as the first word to describe Barb. Clever, witty, smart, fun. All of those described her once. And she wasn’t mean, exactly. She just . . .” 

“Robert Baratheon says she is. Mean. He used that exact word.” 

“Robert hates her,” he sighed. “I told you that.” 

“Do you love her, Ned?” Catelyn asked. 

He looked up at the sky where two birds were flying in circles around each other for a moment. “No. Not the way a man should love his wife. Not anymore. I’ve tried, but it isn’t easy to love someone who can’t or won’t love you.” 

“Then why don’t you leave?” 

“I’ve told you that . . .” 

“That she doesn’t want you to go? Ned, she doesn’t let you use your phone or see your friends. You say yourself there’s no marital love left between you. She’s your jailer rather than your wife. Why does this get to be her decision? Why isn’t it yours?” 

“She doesn’t have anyone else,” he said softly. “You asked me if she gets along with anyone. The answer is yes. Strangers. She prefers her own company mostly, but occasionally the company of people she knows she’ll never see again. She still likes to charm people—to score a free drink from the bartender, a discounted price from a salesperson. Makes her feel good about herself. That sort of thing always has. So I’ve always let her go off on her ‘me days’ and pretended I didn’t care that she’d rather spend her time with strangers than with me. And eventually, I realized I really didn’t care. But I saw what losing Brandon did to her. And I don’t want to do that to her now.” 

“You’d rather sacrifice your entire life than hurt the feelings of someone who doesn’t give a damn about hurting yours? Ned, that’s crazy.” 

“I know this can’t go on forever, Cat. I just want to make her see that. I want us to leave each other. To end this because we both know it will never be right. I don’t want to leave her more bitter and unhappy than she already is.” 

“Robert says you’re trying to protect me. Not giving me your number or telling me where you live. To be fair, I haven’t given you my number either, but you do know where I live, and I admit I felt weird about suddenly offering you my number after I found out you were married. But Robert said that . . .” 

“Robert said an awful lot, didn’t he?” Ned interrupted. “I just don’t want you in the middle of any of this, Catelyn. It isn’t your concern.” 

“Bullshit. I’m your friend, aren’t I? Robert gets to be concerned. Why not me? Why do I need protecting?” 

Ned laughed. “Somehow, I don’t think you need protecting from much of anything. But Robert is right about one thing. Barb can be mean. Very mean when she feels she’s wronged. And recently, she’s determined to believe that I intend to wrong her. She hates Robert, but she knows perfectly well I’ve no desire to sleep with him. You, on the other hand . . . well, you are a beautiful woman. And Barb can’t quite believe that men and women are ever just friends. So . . . I’d rather her not know you exist. Not because you or I have done anything wrong but because you don’t deserve her vitriol. All right?” 

Both Robert and Melisandre had seemed quite certain Ned didn’t know what had happened with his wife and Missy. She wondered if something had happened with someone else and recalled what else Robert had told her to ask about. Mel had warned her not to push Ned and she feared she might be crossing a line, but she couldn’t stop herself. “What happened last year, Ned? What happened with Ashara?” 

Ned’s fist hit the bench so hard that both their lunches bounced around and Catelyn’s potato chips fell to the ground. “Goddammit, Robert! Will you ever mind your own fucking business?” His eyes were the dark grey of storm clouds and Catelyn was truly frightened she had pushed him too far. 

Then he looked at her, and his eyes softened instantly and he grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry, Catelyn. Forgive me.” He shook his head. “I didn’t want to tell you that story because I didn’t want to frighten away my kindest friend. And now I’ve frightened you anyway.” 

“Well,” she said, forcing her voice to sound even, “you do look pretty scary when you’re angry, Eddard Stark. But I don’t scare off that easily. And I don’t drop my friends even if I am scared.” 

“Eddard Stark. Makes me feel like I’m in trouble.” 

“You are. For not trusting me enough to tell me the scary stuff.” 

“Very well,” he said, squeezing her hand which she just then realized he was still holding. He let go of it before continuing. “Ashara was a girl I knew in high school. We dated for a short time. I was madly in love with her. She was madly in love with life, and I was simply one of life’s experiences as it were. I think I may have mentioned her to you before. 

“Briefly.” 

He laughed. “Briefly pretty much sums up our entire relationship until a year ago. It was an intense teenaged crush, I guess. Complete with a few awkward, fumbling, but very memorable sexual encounters. God, she was beautiful. I don’t regret any of it—my first experience with love was far better than most I’ve heard—but it was never going to last. Ash knew that before I did so I’m the one who got his heart broken. She reached out to me a few times after we split, wanting to be friends, but I was with Barb then—somewhere along our journey to fake dating to real dating and was sold hook, line, and sinker on her ‘men and women can’t really be friends’ theory. She told me that Ashara’s trying to talk to me was simply proof that the two of us being together was getting to her. I know now how wrong that was. I missed out on a really good friend.” 

He paused to take a drink of his Coke and continued. “I hadn’t thought about Ash in years when she turned up at the hotel I was staying in for a conference Mel sent me to. She was there for some fashion thing. She designs a clothing line now. Anyway, she ran up and hugged me as if I were her long lost best friend, and we ended up spending every bit of free time we had together.” He looked at Catelyn’s face carefully. “Not our nights, mind you. I have never cheated on my wife. Not once. And while Ashara is still as lovely as ever, I honestly didn’t even consider it. We talked, Cat. We talked about everything under the sun and we laughed. And it felt so damn good to just have real conversations with someone again.” He looked down a moment before meeting her eyes. “It was a bit like I feel when I’m with you.” 

Catelyn nodded in understanding. 

“I was only there three days, but we made plans to get together again a few weeks later when we both had some time. When I got home, Barb asked me a million questions about the conference, and I answered them all. I knew it was more her need to control things more than genuine interest in the books or anything else about my life, but it was nice to have her express any interest at all. It had begun to feel more like a conversation than an interrogation when I mentioned that I’d run into Ashara. She immediately started screaming at me and accused me of having an affair with her. It got so ugly that I left the apartment, and when I came back an hour later she demanded to know if I’d been with Ash when I’d told her that she was still at the fashion thing and didn’t live anywhere near here. After that, she didn’t speak to me for week except to call the bookstore landline and confirm I’d arrived there ten minutes after I left the apartment each day. Neither of us went anywhere except to work and we just sort of circled around each other at home like two ghosts or something. Then she started talking a bit again. She asked me if it was over, referring to my non-existent affair and got angry when I told her ‘yes, since high school.’ But it was more like her usual anger, and she got over it quickly. A week before I was supposed to meet Ashara for lunch, I told her about it and asked if she wanted to come along. She told me she wasn’t going anywhere near that whore and neither was I. I went anyway. Halfway through our lunch, Barb showed up and made a terrible scene. I hadn’t told Ashara about Barb’s reaction to our seeing each other again. I honestly hadn’t told her much about Barb at all. Anyway, that’s the only time Barb has ever behaved like that in public, and the only way I finally got her to stop was to leave the restaurant with her and take her home. I just left Ashara sitting there with all those people staring at her.” 

“Oh, Ned.” 

“I called her as soon as I got to work the next day. I couldn’t call her from home the way Barb was acting, and I couldn’t really leave the apartment either. Until I had to go to work. Ash wasn’t angry. She was stunned and she felt badly for me which I thought was rather remarkable. We met for lunch a few days later without Barb’s knowledge. She asked me to be honest with her about my life, and I tried to be. I really did. I told her things I hadn’t told anyone except Robert. And it helped me. I felt calmer. I could even deal with Barb better. She told me I had to get out for my own good, and I told her marriage wasn’t something to be tossed away lightly. She told me I always was old fashioned, and she didn’t know whether to admire me for it or hit me over the head.” 

Catelyn laughed out loud. “I think I like her.” 

“I think you would. But you aren’t likely to meet her any time soon. We continued to talk for a couple months, mostly by text and phone calls, but occasionally in person when her work brought her to town and I could get away. She hated the fact that I lied to my wife about seeing her. Called herself my ‘dirty little secret’ and told me that if Barb ever found out I was lying and sneaking off to see her, it wouldn’t matter one damn bit that we weren’t having sex.” He looked down at his mostly uneaten lunch. “She was right. Barb went through my phone. Found a text I hadn’t deleted. Nothing sexual, of course. Nothing derogatory about her. But it was obviously from Ashara, and it mentioned a café we’d lunched at the week before. Barb called her number on my phone and told her that if she ever came near her husband again, she’d make her regret it for the rest of her life. Then she put my phone down and cooked dinner for the two of us without saying a word to me about it. When I picked up my phone after dinner, I had about twenty missed calls and I guess I must have looked alarmed because she just smiled at me, and said, ‘I’m afraid I may have upset your whore earlier.’ I saw that every call was from Ash and I ran outside to call her. She told me that she didn’t need this kind of crazy in her life and neither did I. She told me I needed to get out and that until I did, not to call or text her. She actually apologized to me and called herself a shitty friend. Said she hated to be so self-centered, but she just wasn’t prepared to deal with all of it. And not once, did she say I told you so.” 

“And you haven’t seen or talked to her since.” 

“Not once.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Barb’s obsessive checking of my cell phone started after that, so even communication with Robert has become rather infrequent. If I didn’t have the bookstore . . .” He shook his head. 

“The safe little bookstore bubble,” Catelyn said. 

“What?” 

“Something Robert said. He told me you think you can protect me by keeping me in your safe little bookstore bubble.” 

Ned shook his head. “Sometimes he’s smarter than he looks,” he grumbled. “I have been doing something of that sort, Catelyn. I do want to protect you from all of it. But I’m selfish, too. I want to keep you. I want to keep your friendship, and this is the only way I know how to do it.” 

“I’m not going anywhere, Ned. Robert’s got serious competition in the friend department now. He needs it. It’ll make him step up his game.” 

Ned laughed. 

“But Ned, you know this can’t go on forever or even much longer. Something has to change. I agree with Robert on that. And with Lyanna and Ashara, even if I’ve never met them. I’m not going anywhere, but I’m not going to tell you this life you’re living is okay because it’s not.” 

“I know that. I know my marriage is over. It has been for a long time. I just want to end it with . . . I don’t know . . . some semblance of . . . honor, maybe? Maybe I never really knew my wife and maybe we were always too different for this to work, but I do know that we both meant the words we said when we took those wedding vows—even if the words had different meanings for us, we meant them. And that matters. I think it should matter how we walk away. And if that means I’m weak, then I just have to deal . . .” 

“Weak?” Catelyn asked incredulously. 

Ned smiled rather sadly at her. “Lyanna straight up told me to grow a pair and get a life, and Robert repeatedly tells me I’ve let Barb run my life for too long. Pretty weak, huh?” 

“No,” Catelyn said definitively. “Ned, I think you need to get out of this marriage as soon as possible. I think your regard for her feelings and her welfare are more than she deserves, and I think you feel guilty over entirely too many things that were never your fault. But none of those things makes you weak. I may think you’re wrong about a few things, but not weak. It takes incredible strength to give so much of your own life, even your own self for someone who doesn’t seem capable of appreciating it. But Ned, even the strongest man can’t do it forever, so please, as your friend, I beg you to listen to me. Stop concentrating on protecting everyone and maintaining this awful status quo, and start concentrating on finding your way to the end of this.” 

“You’re remarkable, you know that?” 

She smiled at him. “If we don’t get back, I’m probably fired. I know we’ve been gone over a half hour.” 

“So have I. She can’t fire both of us. She’d actually have to do some work,” Ned said with a laugh. 

“I’d tell her you said that, but she wouldn’t believe me. And she’ll never fire you. She loves you. Trust me.” 

“She’s just used to having me around.” Ned gathered up the trash from their lunch and tossed it into the can before offering her a hand to pull her up. 

“How long have you worked at Words and Wonder anyway?” Catelyn asked as they began the walk back. 

“Just over two years, I think.” 

“Wow, that’s a long time. Do still want to go to college?” 

“Yes. That simply hasn’t been a possibility for a long time. Maybe someday. The bookstore pays the bills. Well, combined with Barb’s paycheck.” 

“Your friend, Robert, what does he do?” 

“Robert? Whatever he wants, mostly,” Ned laughed. 

“The name Baratheon is pretty unsual. I was wondering if he’s . . .” 

“Yes. He’s one of those Baratheons. I’m surprised he told you his last name. He usually doesn’t throw it around unless he’s using it to get something he wants. He likes being just Robert, otherwise.” 

“He didn’t. Melisandre said it. Acted like she didn’t know what I was talking about when I mentioned shipping tycoons.” 

Ned smiled. “Mel’s good that way. She knows who Robert’s dad is. Also knows he doesn’t make a big deal of it when he’s with me so neither does she. She likes him, you know. For all she pretends otherwise.” 

“So how does an ordinary guy even become friends with a trust fund kid with shipping fortune?” 

Ned laughed at that. “People have wondered how Robert and I ever became friends on many levels for most of our lives. You know, I honestly don’t remember where we first met. Suffice it to say that Robert has always liked going places he’s not expected to go. He’s equally comfortable in a five star restaurant or dive bar. But once he befriends you, he’s your friend for good. Doesn’t care who your father is or how many zeroes are in your bank account balance.” 

Catelyn sighed. “He’s obnoxious,” she said. “But I think he may actually be growing on me.” 

Ned grinned at her as he opened the door to bookstore. “That’s a common reaction to Robert.” 

She grinned back as she stepped through the door. “I’m still totally taking his spot as your best friend.”  
______________________________________________________________________________________ 

The next two months were rocky ones in Ned’s personal life. He’d taken a number of stands with Barbrey. Locking his cell phone was a big step and one that got him locked out of his own apartment and sleeping at the bookstore for three days. When she finally relented and let him in, he refused to return until she provided him with a key to the new lock she’d installed. Ned’s theory about her change of heart was that she had realized she couldn’t pay all the bills without him. Ned had asked her if she would go to couples therapy which caused Catelyn to roll her eyes when he told her about it, but if he needed to feel he’d given his wife every chance, she couldn’t begrudge him that. Barbrey had laughed at the suggestion stating that Ned was her only problem. Ned then got a separate bank account for his paycheck. He took nothing out of the joint account they held, but put nothing more in. That had caused another huge fight as Barbrey accused him of preparing to leave her. He told her he had no plans to leave, but as she’d made it clear she wouldn’t work on their marriage he needed to prepare himself for whatever might happen. That appeared to have had a pretty significant impact on her as she began spending most evenings either throwing wild accusations at him or not speaking to him at all. He paid half of all their bills from his new account even though some of what was left in the joint account was technically ‘his.’ He wouldn’t touch it. 

He discussed all these things with Catelyn. He’d begun leaving his apartment more on his day off. He’d go out with Robert and tell Barbrey he was doing that. He’d always invite her along, and she’d always decline, insulting both his and Robert’s morals when she did so. The only person he didn’t speak to Barbrey about was Catelyn which is why she was the one person he would not meet on his days off. He insisted upon keeping her very existence from Barbrey lest she suffer an encounter like Ashara had, and Catelyn refused to take up ‘dirty little secret’ status. So their friendship remained within the ‘safe bookstore bubble’ of work colleagues. 

Their friendship continued to grow, however. Lysa had met him now. Growing tired of hearing about the man so often (although Catelyn shared only the broadest general information about his marriage woes because that was Ned’s business, not Lysa’s), she’d taken to dropping by the bookstore when she got off work in the afternoon just to take measure of her sister’s ‘just a friend.’ She always used air quotes when she called Ned Catelyn’s friend at home which irritated Catelyn tremendously. Thankfully, she was a bit better behaved at the store. 

Ned and Catelyn had shared more tales about their siblings and childhoods although Catelyn sometimes still felt Ned was holding something back. She decided not to push him, however, having realized that Ned had never held information back in an attempt to deceive her about anything. He simply didn’t share things easily and seemed pathologically determined to protect people from anything that might hurt them. She’d decided there were far worst flaws to have as a friend, and she figured patience and time would unlock whatever else Ned had tucked away inside. 

She’d given him pep talks through each little step of his trying to be more authentic and proactive with his wife about where their marriage was headed, and she’d cheered each little success. She still had serious doubts about any type of positive ending being possible for this miserable marriage, but she was beginning to appreciate Ned’s efforts at making the end as thoughtful and deliberately respectful as he could. It mattered to him, and she prayed that he might have some sort of success with it. 

Some prayers go unanswered, however, and on a stormy Friday night just after she’d gone to bed, her cell phone rang. It was the bookstore’s number, but it was long after closing time. No one should be there. Hesitantly, Catelyn answered the phone. “Hello?” 

“Cat? Is that you?” 

“Ned? What are you doing at the bookstore?” 

“It’s over, Cat. She . . . she kicked me out.” 

“Did she change the locks again? Like last time? Are you sleeping at the bookstore?” 

“It’s not like last time. It’s . . . over. I tried. Oh god, I swear I tried, but . . .” 

He sounded as if he were about to cry. She’d never seen Ned cry. Not once. And she’d seen him pretty upset any number of times. 

“I’ll be right there. Don’t go anywhere!” 

As she closed her phone, Lysa wandered in from the living room. “It’s Ned. She’s locked him out again, and he sounds awful.” 

“I didn’t think he even had your number.” 

“He’s at the bookstore. He probably got from my file. Lysa, I have to go.” She was already grabbing for the jeans she’d pulled off just a few hours earlier. 

“Want me to come?” 

“No. I’ll be fine.” 

“Take the car. I know you always walk there, but it’s nearly eleven.” When Catelyn started to protest, she added, “Oh for god’s sake. It’s your car! And it’s nearly eleven, Cat. It’s not like I’m going anywhere. And I don’t work tomorrow so if you stay out all night, I’m still good.” 

“Okay. Love you.” 

“Yeah. Love you, too. Go rescue Friend Ned.” 

Catelyn was too worried to even shoot her sister a dark look over the Friend Ned comment. 

By car, she was ten minutes from the bookstore. When she arrived, she was alarmed to see the light was off. She parked on the street out front and went to the door. It was locked, but as she fumbled in her purse for her key, Ned appeared inside and unlocked it. 

“Why are you in the dark?” she asked him stupidly, as if that was the most important question of the night. 

>“I’ve got the light on in Mel’s office. It’s late and the shop is closed. I don’t want to draw attention to it with the light. A cop stopped in to question me the first night I slept here that time.” 

“Are you all right?” 

“I don’t know, Cat. I don’t honestly know.” 

“Well, let’s not stand here in the dark. Come on back to Mel’s office, and you can tell me about it.” 

Ned navigated the store in the blackness quite well so Catelyn followed him closely. When he opened the door to Melisandre’s office, the light in her face caused her to blink a few times before she could focus. Ned pulled her in and shut the door behind her. Now that she could see, he looked pale and while his eyes were dry, they looked red. She thought he looked very young and a little lost. “Sit with me, Ned.” 

Instead of taking one of the chairs, she dropped to the carpeted floor and he sat beside her. “She kicked me out of our apartment and told me never to come back.” He shook his head. “She didn’t say that when she changed the locks before. She said she was locking me out because I’d locked her out. It was a punishment for locking my phone.” 

“What’s she mad about this time?” 

“That’s just it. I haven’t done anything this week except ask her again if she would consider couples therapy and tell her that neither of us are happy the way we are and something has to change. I’ve been telling her these things for weeks now. It’s nothing new. I haven’t even gone out with Robert in over a week. He’s out of town again. She seemed perfectly calm tonight after I got home from work. I stayed late to do inventory, remember? And I’d called her from the store phone tell her that, and she’d seemed okay then, too. After I’d been home about a half hour, she said she wanted Chinese, and I told her I’d go pick some up. When I got back, she was standing in the hall outside our door. I asked what she was doing, and she told me to get out. I said ‘what?’ and she said, ‘Get out. Get out and don’t ever come back. I’m tired of taking all your crap. I won’t let you hurt me anymore. I don’t need you. Get out!’” He shook his head as if he still couldn’t quite believe it. “I was just standing there holding Chinese takeout. I didn’t know what to do. I tried asking her what was wrong, what she was upset about, but she just started yelling louder—screaming at me to get the hell out of her life and never come back. Guy down the hall stuck his head out and yelled at her to shut up or he’d call the cops and she just yelled back at him to call them. Call them to come and take me away. I just put the Chinese food down on the floor and turned around and left.” He looked at her helplessly. “I don’t know what I did, Cat. I have no idea what I did.” 

“Oh, Ned,” she sighed. “You stopped playing by her rules. And I guess she’s realized you aren’t going to play by them anymore.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You told me she’s always liked things to go the way she planned. It’s been a sad excuse for a marriage for the two of you for a long time, but you have more or less let her determine how it worked. I mean, it was broken, Ned, but she was the one who decided how to break it. Until you started trying to treat the end of your marriage with some sort of respect. Trying to treat both yourself and her with respect. You stopped doing what she’s come to expect of you.” 

“God,” he said. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” He stood up then and began pacing back and forth in Mel’s small office. “God, what a fucking waste of time!” he shouted, clenching his fist as if he wanted to hit something. “I am so stupid. It was all just a waste!” 

"No!” she shouted over top of him. “No, it wasn’t,” she insisted as she stood to face him, placing her hand over his fist. “You did everything you said you wanted to do to honor the commitment you made to that marriage. And you did it, Ned! You did it! You have no control over what she does, but you can hold your head up and know that you refused to just burn it all down, and if she lit a match and is standing there in the ashes, it’s on her. Not you. You did what you could. You can walk away from this knowing that and have no regrets.” 

“Thank you, Cat. I have no idea what I’m doing next. But I’m glad I’m here with my best friend.” 

“Come on. Let’s go get a drink. No, two drinks.” 

“I don’t think getting drunk is going to improve my current situation.” 

“You get drunk on two drinks? What kind of lightweight are you, Eddard Stark?” 

“You really meant specifically two drinks?” 

“Yes. We’ll drink one a requiem for a marriage lost. And then one as a toast to new life begun.” 

He smiled at her although she could still hear the sorrow in his voice as he replied softly, “I’d like that, Catelyn. I’d like that very much.” 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

“Cat,” Lysa hissed in her ear. “Why is Ned Stark sort of sleeping on our sofa?” 

Catelyn rolled over in bed and opened her eyes to see her sister bending down over her. “Because I couldn’t leave him all alone in the bookstore as sad and lost as he was. And what do you mean sort of sleeping?” 

“Well he doesn’t actually fit, does he? Half his legs are hanging over the arm at one end and his head is practically hanging off the other arm. He’s gonna be all kinds sore when he wakes up.” 

“I know. But he wouldn’t sleep in my bed.” 

“Thank God for small favors! If you and your ‘friend’ are going to start bedsharing, please do it when I’m not here.” 

“I was going to sleep on the sofa, idiot!” Catelyn said, sitting up and smacking Lysa with her pillow. She regretted it when Lysa grabbed it out of her hands. 

“To be fair, you don’t really fit on the sofa either, Long Legs. But I guess you’d fit better than him. What happened last night, anyway?” 

“His wife kicked him out. Not temporarily. Not in retaliation for some imagined crime on his part. Just told him to get lost and never come back. He thinks it’s really over.” 

“Well, that’s good, right? Doesn’t everyone want Cuckoo Barbie out of his life?” 

Catelyn glared at her and regretted ever allowing her to meet Robert Baratheon. “Well, yes, but Ned doesn’t feel a failed marriage is something to celebrate even if it did need to happen. He knows it’s time to move on but he feels bad about how it ended. So don’t go in there and congratulate him or anything, all right?” 

“You really do think I’m an idiot, don’t you?” Lysa said, rolling her eyes. 

“Well you do sometimes give me reason to wonder.” 

Lysa smacked at her with her pillow, and Catelyn gleefully grabbed it back and lay back down upon it. “Now go back to bed, Lysa. It’s early, and I’d like to get another hour of sleep before I get up for work. 

It was Ned’s Saturday off, but not knowing what else to do, he’d gone with Catelyn to the bookstore. He told her he liked the longer walk from her place as it gave him time to clear his head. She thought he probably also appreciated the opportunity to stretch out his poor muscles after the night on her tiny sofa, but he didn’t once complain. 

Melisandre was surprised to see him, and he and Catelyn gave him an abbreviated version of last night’s events. She sighed and said, “Get me a couple boxes from the back, Ned. Nice big empty ones. But not too big to carry.” 

Ned looked at her quizzically, but did as she asked. “Come,” she said to them, putting the closed sign in the door. “Let’s go get your clothes.” 

“I don’t think she wants me anywhere near the apartment, Mel. She’s not going to let me in.” 

“Of course not. You and Catelyn will stay in the car out of sight. Seeing you will only make her angry, and seeing you,” she said, turning toward Catelyn, “Well, hell will freeze over before she would give you anything of Ned’s. I can carry the boxes one at a time down to where you wait for me.” 

“What makes you think Barb will give you my clothes?” Ned asked. 

“Because she is a tiny bit afraid of me,” Melisandre replied with smile that Catelyn did find somewhat frightening. 

“True,” Ned shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.” 

It took no time to drive to Ned’s apartment, and when Melisandre got out, Catelyn asked Ned when Barbrey had met Melisandre and what she’d done to frighten her. 

“When I first started at the bookstore, Barb didn’t like that my boss was a woman. We were still both trying to make the marriage work then, but she always had that jealous streak. She came to the store thinking to intimidate Mel out of trying to seduce me, more or less.” 

Catelyn laughed at the very notion. 

“Yes, well, Melisandre didn’t do anything in particular, but you know her. Just the way she looked at Barb as if she were beneath notice and told her she was welcome to come have lunch at the store with me or visit during my breaks any time but that if she distracted me while I was working, I might need to look for other employment had her shaking in her shoes. I think she’s only been back to the store two or three times tops since then. And she believed me easily enough when I told her my boss terrified me so she never really worried about me sleeping with Mel after that.” 

“She’s really something, isn’t she?” Catelyn asked. 

“She is,” Ned agreed. “I still haven’t figured out what that something is, but I’m glad she’s for me rather than against me.” 

Catelyn laughed, and the two of them saw Mel emerging from Ned’s apartment with one of the boxes in her arms. Ned jumped out to help her with it. “Stay put,” he said. “I don’t want her seeing you even through a window.” 

Catelyn rolled her eyes. “Why did I even come on this little joy ride?” 

“To keep me sane,” he replied as he closed the door. He took the box from Mel and put it in the trunk as she hurried upstairs to get the second one. 

“Thanks, Mel. I don’t own too many clothes. Seems like you managed to get them all.” 

“She tells me this is all,” Melisandre said grimly. “She also tells me you will get nothing else.” 

“Nothing else?” Ned exclaimed. “Most of the things in that apartment are mine.” 

“She says they are hers now. She asked me to give you this.” She handed him a very official looking envelope with his name on it. “She meant to give it to you last night, but she told me she was more concerned with keeping you out of her apartment.” 

“Her apartment,” Ned muttered, clearly irritated, as he opened the envelope. “What the fuck, Barb?” he exclaimed as he looked over the papers inside. 

“What is it?” Catelyn asked. 

“Divorce papers,” Ned said, shaking his head. “Looks like she used you to serve me, Mel.” 

“I thought as much. You need the papers. Now you can decide how to respond to them,” Melisandre said practically. 

“Hell yes, is how I’ll respond to them,” Ned said angrily. He waved the papers in the air. “She couldn’t do this on the spur of the moment,” he said. “She’s been planning this. She had to get a lawyer to do this.” He shook his head. “All of her recent shit has been nothing but a smokescreen. God! Why couldn’t she just talk to me? We could have worked this out together.” 

“She wants you to play by her rules, remember?” Catelyn reminded him, thinking about how badly Ned had wanted to make this divorce less awful for his soon-to-be ex-wife and thinking she had never truly hated someone she didn’t even know until now. 

“She may want to go after your assets, Ned. That would be one reason for her to consult a lawyer and fire the first shot, so to speak,” Melisandre said thoughtfully. 

“Assets? What assets? Ned doesn’t even have a car! What can the woman be after?” When she looked at Ned however, he looked concerned. “Ned? Do you know what she might want?” 

“What?” Ned said, pulled from whatever he’d been thinking about. “No. I don’t know what she wants, but then I haven’t known what she’s wanted for a long time. As for assets . . . I can’t think of anything off the . . .” 

“Ned!” Catelyn suddenly exclaimed. “Your joint bank account!” 

Ned’s face registered alarm and he reached for his phone. Catelyn watched as he pulled up his banking app. “Gone,” he said after a moment. “She’s drained it. It’s all sitting somewhere in an account in her name that I have no access to, no doubt. I fucking encouraged her to get her own account for paycheck when I did it. Hell, I probably gave her the idea to do this.” 

“How much have you lost, Ned?” Melisandre asked gently. 

“Maybe $800 or so that was from my paychecks. Less than a damn lawyer to fight it would probably cost.” He sighed. 

“We’re here,” Melisandre said, and Catelyn looked out the window to see that they were indeed parked back at the bookstore. 

“Let’s get to work then,” Ned said grimly. “Looks like I definitely need the money.” 

Melisandre didn’t say a word about the fact that he wasn’t actually scheduled to work. 

When the day finished, Catelyn called Lysa to pick them up as carrying the boxes of Ned’s clothes all the way back to her place wasn’t an appealing idea. Ned had half-heartedly protested the idea of crashing with them for another night, but Catelyn knew he didn’t really have anywhere to go. Lysa was positively bouncing up and down when they got out of the car, and when they reached the door, she grabbed Ned’s arm to pull him inside so quickly, he nearly dropped the box he was carrying. 

“Look!” she exclaimed, pointing toward the bedroom. Ned set his box down on the sofa and Catelyn put hers on the floor before following them. There between hers and Lysa’s beds, taking up most of the available floor space was a long air mattress like the ones they used to take on camping trips with Uncle Brynden years ago. 

“Lysa! How did you . . .” 

“I called Uncle Brynden, and he said I’d have to ask Dad because all the air mattresses were in the shed behind the house. So . . . I called the house and asked for Edmure. I told him to ask Dad if we could borrow one of them for a friend who needed help and he told me to ask him myself, but I threatened to never buy him another video game so he asked Dad, and Mr. Wayn dropped it off about an hour ago.” 

“Lysa, you’re brilliant!” Catelyn exclaimed, grabbing her sister in a tight hug “And you really called the house? I’m so proud of you.” 

“Well. Ned would probably be crippled if he had to squish up on that sofa again.” 

“Quite possibly,” Ned said. “But Lysa, why is this mattress in your bedroom.” 

“Because that’s where it fits?” she said, looking at Ned as if he were a very slow child. Catelyn hid a smile as she enjoyed watching someone else being treated to her sister’s attitude. 

“I’m not sleeping in your bedroom,” Ned insisted. 

“Ned,” Catelyn said. “Don’t be silly. There’s more room for it here than in the living room, and you don’t want to sleep in the living room anyway. Lysa was good last night, but she has a habit of watching tv into the wee hours.” 

“I can’t sleep with you and your sister, Catelyn! That’s just . . . it’s not right.” 

“We aren’t asking you to sleep with us, Ned. Lysa will sleep in her bed. I’ll sleep in mine. You’ll sleep on the air mattress. Nobody is sleeping with anybody. See how that works?” Catelyn giggled as she realized she sounded like Lysa. 

“But . . .” 

“Come on, Ned. Don’t act like some stuffy old man. Edmure used to come in our room and sleep every time it thundered.” 

“He’s your little brother!” Ned protested. 

“And you’re our little friend,” Lysa smirked causing Catelyn to howl with laughter. 

Ned still looked a bit unconvinced, but Catelyn was fairly certain they’d won this one.  
_________________________________________________________________________________ 

By Wednesday of the following week, the three of them had fallen into a pretty good routine. They coordinated work schedules and shared the one bathroom without any real problems. Ned insisted upon dressing for the day and for bed at night entirely in the bathroom, and he’d vacate the bedroom for the girls to change clothes. (They got back in the habit of wearing their robes to go to the bathroom and back instead of just underwear as they’d done before. They took turns making dinner, and Catelyn insisted Ned take the car when he volunteered to buy groceries and again when he went to look at apartments (none of which he could afford). 

The loss of the money from the joint checking account hung rather large over Ned’s head as even if he could swing the rent someplace, no one would rent without first and last month’s rent up front, and he just didn’t have it. Nothing remotely in his price range was available close to the bookstore so he’d have to factor in bus fare every day. Catelyn knew what the only real solution was, but she’d been hesitant to approach Lysa about it, much less Ned. 

She truly did consider Ned her best friend, but she knew her initial crush on him was more suppressed than truly gone, and that was the last kind of pressure the guy needed right now. It was pretty much the last thing she needed as well. And sometimes the way he looked at her . . . she honestly didn’t know if living under the same roof was such a smart idea. 

She and Ned both worked today and were sitting at the kitchen table when Ned’s cell rang. 

“Robert!” he exclaimed when he picked it up. “Where have you been? I’ve been leaving you messages for four days!” There was a pause as Robert said something. “Eww! Please spare me the details of your drunken debauchery. I’m glad you’re back in the country, my friend. I need a favor.” 

Catelyn knew Ned had been trying to reach Robert since he’d been served the divorce papers, and she hoped he planned to let his wealthy friend help him pay for a lawyer. She hadn’t read the papers and didn’t know precisely what Barbrey was asking for, but she knew that without a lawyer, a woman could be left with no means of support or a man could get taken to the cleaner’s. As Barbrey had a job that paid at least as well as Ned’s and there were no children involved, she couldn’t imagine Ned having to pay anything, but he still needed a lawyer to protect himself. 

“Barbrey served me with divorce papers.” Catelyn could hear Robert’s celebratory whoop from across the table and tried not to smile. Ned rolled his eyes as he looked at her. “Yeah, for real. She kicked me out of the apartment Friday and refuses to let me back in. Mel went in and got me clothes at least . . . . Nah, not this time. I’m crashing with Cat and her sister . . . Get your fucking mind out of the gutter, you pervert!” He rolled his eyes toward Catelyn again and shook his head, causing her to laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Hey. I need somebody to look at these papers.” 

“Cat did you take my hairbrush?” Lysa called from the bathroom. 

“I did not! See if you left it in the bedroom!” 

Ned had stood up from the table and walked into the living room while the girls shouted back and forth, but Catelyn could still make out most of what he was saying. 

“I don’t understand everything that’s in there, but yeah, she knows about it . . . I don’t care about the stuff in the apartment or even the money she ripped off from the bank account. But it has to stop there.” 

It sounded to Catelyn like Barbrey was asking for some sort of future support, and that made her very angry. 

“Thanks, man. I’m sorry I have to ask you, but . . . No, you’re right. This is too important to trust to anybody I can afford right now . . . Fuck that!” Ned laughed. “Yeah, I know. You’d never make it. But I’m not you, buddy. Tell Stannis hey . . . I know he hates my guts. That’s why you should tell him I said hey. You love to watch him scowl.” He laughed again at whatever Robert said. “Yeah, man. I’m really okay. And thanks for having my back on this.” He ended the call and walked back toward the kitchen. 

“She’s asking for spousal support?” Catelyn asked him in a disbelieving tone. 

“Huh?” 

“I heard you tell Robert that Barbrey can take what she wants of whatever the two of you have now—which is damn generous of you, by the way—but it has to stop there. Is she really asking for you to pay her in the future?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Ned said vaguely. He shrugged. “It’s a lot of legal gobbledygook I don’t quite understand, but it looks like she’s trying to leave things open for that—getting money out of me that I don’t even have yet, I mean.” 

“Well, I’m glad you’re letting Robert help you pay for a lawyer. You can’t get divorced without one and get treated fairly, I’m afraid.” 

“He’s not exactly helping me pay for a lawyer, Cat.” 

“But I thought I heard you say . . .” 

“He’s going to have one of his lawyers look over what Barbrey served me with and draw up a response.” 

“One of his lawyers. So Robert has a collection of lawyers that just do things for him if he asks?” 

Ned laughed. “Well, the Baratheon Board of Directors keeps them on retainer so . . . kind of. And they’re top notch, so I know I’m in good hands.” 

“And Robert can just use the board’s lawyers to do favors for his friends whenever he wants?” Catelyn asked incredulously. 

Ned sighed. “Robert’s on the board. He’s not just a Baratheon, Cat—as in some obscure family member living the good life off the company’s profits. He’s _the_ Baratheon—Steffon Baratheon’s oldest son, and since his father’s death a few years’ back, the CEO of Baratheon Worldwide Shipping.” 

Catelyn simply stared at him. Loud, obnoxious Robert who couldn’t go fifteen minutes without saying something inappropriate was not only stupidly rich, he was very powerful. After a few moments, she began laughing and couldn’t stop. 

“Are you all right?” Ned asked her. 

“Robert . . . Robert Baratheon, Captain of Industry!” she choked out, cackling some more. “I never would have guessed it the day I met him in the book store!” 

“Well . . . don’t tell him I told you, okay? He really likes you, Catelyn, and he doesn’t want you to think of him as some stuffy old rich dude,” Ned said with a smile. 

Catelyn laughed harder. “I think Robert is a lot of things . . . but I assure you, stuffy isn’t one of them!” 

Ned began laughing then, and the two of them had barely stopped when Lysa came into the kitchen and asked them what was so funny. They just looked at each other and started laughing again while poor Lysa stared at them as if they’d lost their minds. 

Walking to work a bit later, Catelyn elbowed Ned. “So tell me, Stark. If your best friend is literally one of the richest men in the world, why are you sleeping on my bedroom floor? Doesn’t he have a spare bedroom somewhere?” 

He elbowed her back. “First of all, my best friend doesn’t really have any money. She’s got beautiful hair which I’ve been told is auburn rather than red, an annoying habit of being right most of the time and the biggest heart in the word. But not a lot of extra cash.” 

“You’re not funny,” she told him although she was trying to remember how to breathe as his words echoed in her mind. 

“I didn’t mean to be.” He stopped walking and put his hand on her arm to stop her, too. “Catelyn, I will never be able to tell you what you have meant to me these past days, weeks, months. I’ve gone through what should have been the worst time of my life, and it has been hell in so many ways. But you’ve been there for me through all of it . . . and having you in my life has been such . . . such a good thing . . . I can’t help but be happy for that. I don’t think I could have made it through any of this without you, but with you I not only made it through—I’m able to smile. You give without asking for anything and you love with all your heart. You are my best friend, Catelyn. I want you to know that.” 

His grey eyes looked down into hers with such intensity that she gave up trying to breathe as she felt tears sting her eyes and her heart hammer in her chest. He smiled at her and let go of her arm. “We’d better keep walking,” he said softly. “We don’t want to be late.” 

She nodded and fell into step beside him. 

“As to why I’m sleeping on your floor, well, believe it or not, Robert doesn’t have a place here, and I have no intention of quitting my job or moving away. He’d buy me a damn house if I’d let him, but I can’t do that. I hated asking for the favor with the lawyers, but that’s my future, Catelyn. And you’ve convinced me I have right to that future. But I won’t take Robert’s money—regardless of little he’d miss it or how willingly he’d give it. I do have some pride. And I’m capable of making my own way.” He smiled down at her once more. “With a little help from my best friend.” 

On one hand, it seemed a shame for Ned not to allow Robert to get him back on his feet as it would be so easy for him to do, but she was taking two classes at night school this semester instead of going off to college. Her father was no shipping tycoon, but he could easily afford her tuition and would happily pay it. As they reached the book store, he finally managed to swallow the lump in her throat and speak. “Ned,” he said reaching out to grab his arm and stop them this time. “I understand that, you know. Pride isn’t always a bad thing.” She smiled up at him. “And I’ll be your best friend as long as you want me. My floor is yours as long as you need it.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Just over a week later, with Ned still ‘temporarily’ crashing with her and Lysa, there was a loud knock on their door during dinner. Before anyone could get to the door, a loud voice sang out from behind it, “Come and knock on our door! We’ve been waiting for you!” Catelyn rolled her eyes and opened the door to reveal a grinning Robert Baratheon who continued singing without pause. “Where the kisses are hers and hers and his, Three’s company, too.” 

“What are you babbling on about?” Ned asked from behind her. 

“I think he’s trying to sing something,” Catelyn said slowly, “But it’s hard to tell . . .” 

“Aw, come on,” Robert nearly whined. “It’s the theme song from ‘Three’s Company!’ 

“What?” Ned asked as Catelyn simply shook her head. 

“Seriously? You don’t know it? You just ruined a really funny entrance.” 

“Don’t know what?” Lysa asked, finally wandering into the living room. “Was that you making all the racket, Robert?” 

“I was singing the theme song from a classic tv sit com,” Robert huffed. “I think it’s from the 70’s or 80’s or something. I used to watch reruns on late night cable. About this guy who lived with two hot girls and never banged either of them. Which is really more tragedy than comedy, if you think about it.” He grinned at them. “But . . . it seemed really appropriate to this situation so . . .” 

“Oh! You’re talking about ‘Three’s Company’, aren’t you?” Lysa exclaimed suddenly. 

Ned and Catelyn looked at each other. “Way too much late night television,” they said together. 

>“What? It’s funny!” Shaking her head at the two of them, she grabbed Robert’s hand. “Come on in, Robert. If I’d been out here sooner, I would have laughed.” 

“Thank you, lovely Lysa,” he said graciously. 

“We ordered pizza tonight,” Lysa informed him. “There’s plenty if you want some.” 

>The four of them went into the tiny kitchen which seemed even tinier with Robert’s large frame in one of the chairs. Catelyn tried not to think about how shabby this whole apartment must seem to him. He certainly didn’t act any differently than he ever had, and she resolutely shut down thinking about he’d likely flown into town on a private jet bigger than the entire apartment. 

“I think you’re gonna be okay, Ned,” Robert said as he finished his third piece of pizza. “Barb may be cuckoo, but she ain’t dumb. She got herself a lawyer who knows his stuff. The good news is he’s kind of out of his league here, and my team was able to counter all of his assertions pretty definitively.” 

_Team?_ Catelyn thought. _Robert had a whole team working on Ned’s divorce papers?_

She caught Ned looking at her sort of warily before turning to Robert. “We can talk about this later, Robert,” he said. “My eyes are glazing over just from what you said right there.” 

“Oh! Right!” Robert said much too jovially. He had no subtlety at all, and Catelyn knew the two of them were keeping something to themselves. 

Robert stayed for another hour or so, and it was a generally enjoyable evening. No one could accuse Robert of being dull. 

Lysa had made plans to see a movie with friends so she left just after Robert, and Catelyn found herself sitting alone with Ned in the living room. “What are you and Robert hiding about your divorce?” she asked him plainly. 

“What?” 

“That’s not an answer, Ned. It’s a stall tactic.” 

“I . . . I don’t have anything that Barb wants right now. But she knows I’ll have something in the future.” 

“Anything you earn in the future has nothing to do with her,” Catelyn said flatly. 

“It isn’t technically future earnings.” He sighed. “My grandparents left behind some money. I don’t even know how much it is. Only that they left some for all four of us. I told you my father can be a hard man in some ways. My grandfather was the same. Even harder, maybe. He wasn’t one of those cuddly grandparents. He didn’t actually like children very much, and didn’t have a very high opinion of young adults. Considered pretty much anyone under twenty-five frivolous and irresponsible. So he stipulated that none of us could get what he left us until we’re twenty-six. I guess we’ll find out what we get when Brandon turns twenty-six, but right now it’s a bit of a mystery.” 

“But it could be thousands of dollars?” 

“Yes.” 

“Oh, the nerve of her! Why should be entitled to any of that?” 

“She shouldn’t. But she found some lawyer to make some arguments as to why she should. And those might have stood up without smarter lawyers to shoot them down. That’s why I called in Robert.” 

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?” 

“Cat, that money’s not real to me right now. And I didn’t want . . . I guess I have something in common with Robert. I didn’t want you to look at me differently.” 

“I never could.” 

“It makes me wonder, you know. Those divorce papers.” 

“About what?” 

“Barb always knew about my grandfather’s will. Brandon had told her all about it when they were dating. She’d even ask me about it sometimes when we first got together. Do you think she was just trying to hold out until I actually got the money? And then when she realized I might leave before I ever got to twenty-six, she decided she needed to act?” 

“I don’t know,” Catelyn said softly. “Is it such a terribly large amount of money?” 

“Any amount of money is large when you’ve been living on our budget. She used to beg me to ask my father for money.” 

“The man who referred to her as a little trollop and your marriage as ‘a bed you’d made and would have to lie in?” 

“Yep.” 

“Ouch.” 

“Yeah. I don’t think she ever forgave me for not going to him on my knees and asking him to pay for all sorts of things. But I couldn’t do that, Cat.” 

“I understand. Look at Lysa and me with our father.” 

“Well, the two of you at least accept inflatable mattresses,” he said with a smile. 

“We’re making progress,” she said. “Maybe you will with your father someday as well. But I understand why you wanted to make it on your own.” 

“I haven’t made it very far, though, have I?” 

“Don’t do that. You’ve had an anchor on you, Ned, and you know it. Now it’s time to think only about you. And here’s what you need to do first. Move in here with us permanently.” 

“What? Cat, I . . .” 

“No, seriously. I’ve already discussed it with Lysa.” Lysa had been willing enough to have Ned become an actual roomie although she had expressed concerns about Catelyn’s lingering crush and a certain look she said she saw on Ned’s face at times when he looked at Catelyn. She’d told Lysa she had an overactive imagination and had no intention of mentioning any of her concerns to Ned. “She’s all for it.” 

“She wants to keep three people in this apartment that isn’t really big enough for two for the next year or so?” Ned asked skeptically. 

“Yes. Now listen to me. We all get along. We’ve already figured out how to manage the space. If you pay third of the rent and utilities here, it’ll be less than when you were paying half at your old apartment. You can save some money and maybe take night classes like I do if you want. Or do something else. It’s your money. And Lysa and I will have more money, too, because you’ll be covering a third of what we do now. Everybody wins.” 

“Everybody wins,” he said softly. “You so often accuse me of trying to protect everyone. Do even realize how much you try to take care of everyone, Catelyn? You aren’t satisfied with keeping people safe. You want everyone in your life to be well and happy and loved.” 

“I just . . .” 

“It’s not a criticism,” he said quickly. “I think it’s one of your most endearing qualities. But don’t forget that you deserve to be well and happy and loved yourself. You deserve that more than anyone I know.” He’d been looking at her rather intently, and he took a deep breath and looked down for a moment before meeting her eyes again. “Do you truly want me to move in here with you and Lysa?” 

“I do,” she said firmly. “Ned, I would love to have you stay here.” 

He smiled at her and reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Then I will. You have yourself a roommate, Catelyn Tully.” 

“Good.” She reached up and touched her cheek where his fingers had brushed against it a moment ago. “One thing, though. Don’t you fall in love with me.” 

“Are you afraid I might?” 

“Some people say men and women can’t be just friends.” 

“I happen to know that they can. Sometimes friends fall in love, but other times they love each other dearly all their lives without ever falling in love." 

“That sounds perfect. You are just ending a brutally ugly marriage, and I’m pretty jaded about romance myself after my last relationship.” 

“Narcissus Adonis?” 

“Yes,” she laughed. “But seriously, we’re good for each other as we are. Let’s not mess it up. No falling in love.” 

“No falling in love,” he repeated. 

“Pinky swear?” she asked, holding up her pinky with a small smile. “It seems a best friend sort of thing to do.” 

Ned smiled at her and linked his own pinky around hers. “Pinky swear,” he said solemnly.  
______________________________________________________________________________ 

Catelyn sat up in her bed, yawning and reaching to shut off her alarm before it became to irritating to Lysa or Ned. She and Lysa had long experience ignoring each other’s alarms, of course, and her sister made no move at all on the other bed, remaining deeply asleep. She heard Ned shift slightly on the floor below her and knew he was rolling toward Lysa’s bed in order to eliminate the possibility of her inadvertently kicking him as she got out of bed. 

Sure enough, as she climbed from her bed, she saw him lying on his side on the far side of his air mattress, facing Lysa’s bed—obviously already asleep again, if he’d even been truly awake as he rolled over in the first place. Quietly, she tiptoed out of the bedroom to the bathroom where she’d stashed her clothes for today the night before, knowing that she’d be the first to wake since Ned had today off and Lysa never worked Saturdays. 

She smiled as she contemplated how easily all three of them had adapted to sharing the apartment. She and Ned were both tidy by nature, and Lysa had learned to be at least tidier than she’d ever been at home in order to keep a small, densely populated living space actually livable. The late night chats she and Lysa had formerly enjoyed in their beds at night were now chats among the three of them, enjoyable in an entirely different way. The conversations in the dark offered Ned and Lysa a chance to get to know each other better and Ned and Catelyn an opportunity to build on their already strong friendship as the three of them lazily talked about everything or nothing at all. Catelyn made a point of taking just Lysa to lunch or dinner at least once a week so they could still have their ‘sisters only’ talks, and she loved the fact that Lysa and Ned seemed to get along very well without her when she had night class or worked a Saturday without Ned like today. 

Overall, the arrangement seemed to be working well for everyone, and as Ned had now been paying a third of the bills for four months, everyone had a bit more money in their pockets as well, which as a definite plus. Ned had met both Uncle Brynden and Edmure who both liked him. Of course, when Ed mentioned to their father that a man was now living at the apartment, Catelyn had received a phone call that quickly escalated into an argument. 

“You lent us the air mattress, Daddy!” she had reminded him. 

“For a friend in need!” Hoster had blustered back. “At no time was it mentioned that the friend was a married man come to live with you!” 

“He’s getting divorced, Daddy, and that’s entirely irrelevant anyway as he sleeps on the floor, which is why we needed the air mattress in the first place. Save your ridiculous, self-righteous, controlling indignation for when we move a married man into one of our beds!” 

“Catelyn . . .” 

“Although, even that would really be none of your business at this point. We aren’t children, and we don’t need you to scold us!” 

She’d hung up after that, and hadn’t spoken to her father for nearly two weeks when she received a letter from her father that was almost an apology. While he specifically wrote that he would never apologize for being concerned about her well-being or for speaking his mind when he was worried about her, he acknowledged that she was a grown woman who deserved to be spoken to and treated as one. She’d called him to tell him she appreciated the letter and the two of them had resumed their mostly cordial interactions. But while she continued to encourage a gradual thawing between her father and Lysa, she became even more supportive of Lysa’s insistence that Hoster Tully be kept well away from their actual apartment. She had no desire to subject Ned to his judgmental and intrusive questioning. 

She’d met Ned’s older brother who’d come into town to see if he needed anything upon hearing about the divorce. Brandon Stark was a very good looking man, taller than Ned, but nowhere near as tall as Robert Baratheon. Ned asked her to come with him to meet Brandon away from their apartment. He’d been speaking to his brother on occasion for some time, but hadn’t actually seen him in well over a year. 

Ned took had frowned at the way Brandon looked her up and down appreciatively as he introduced them, and Catelyn had found herself more amused by Ned’s reaction than irritated by Brandon’s ogling. And to be fair, Brandon (unlike Robert) did not allow his eyes to wander after that. He was certainly more gregarious than Ned and comfortable with attention, but he wasn’t as loud and demanding of attention as Robert was. Catelyn could at least see how growing up with a brother like Brandon might have made Ned more open to having a friend like Robert. 

Once he’d gotten assurances from Ned that he truly was fine and that he didn’t need any assistance with anything, (Ned had told her before somewhat grimly before their lunch that Brandon liked rescuing people whether they wanted rescued or not), he spend most of the time showing Ned and herself about a hundred pictures on his phone of his infant son. Ned had been truly delighted by the boy, even just in images, and agreed to come visit Brandon and his family once life settled down a bit. He’d shut down the conversation when Brandon mentioned their father, though, and Brandon let it go. 

She knew both anger and pride played a role in Ned’s refusal to even speak to his father. He was too proud to go to him as some sort of failure. And in his mind, the failure of the marriage his father had so opposed stood as a black mark against him in his father’s eyes. He also held onto a lot of anger at the way his father seemed intent on punishing him for his choices and painting his absence from the family as something he had chosen spitefully. 

Catelyn had a feeling it would take Ned much longer to find his way back to her father than it would her or even Lysa, but she’d be there for him through all of it. She couldn’t help harboring some resentment against Brandon for his role in Ned’s problems, but she found the man likable in spite of herself. As they’d left him that day, she’d told Ned she was going to hold him to his promise to visit Brandon’s family and meet his nephew. She wanted him to have some connection to his family. 

His sister had called him not long after that. Brandon had told her about the divorce, and she’d called to congratulate him on finally dumping the hateful bitch. Of course, Ned didn’t appreciate the language she’d used, and Catelyn wasn’t crazy about the ‘See, I told you so’ tone of the conversation when Ned relayed it to her, but at least she’d reached out. Catelyn wasn’t quite ready to forgive Lyanna Stark for what she considered abandoning Ned, but Ned obviously loved his sister and was pleased she had called even as he was displeased by quite a lot of what she actually said. Catelyn hoped the two of them could take that and move forward. 

As for herself, Catelyn discovered that in many ways, she was the happiest she’d ever been over the past few months. Her life seemed full and joyful, and she knew that was due in large part to the fact she was sharing her life with Ned. Eating breakfast with him, walking to and from work with him, washing dishes with him, reaching down to whack him in the head with her pillow when he snored after drinking too much—all of these little moments and a thousand others knitted him more thoroughly into her life, and she loved having him there. She never wanted to be without him, but she knew that people don’t live happily ever after and grow old with their best friends. Someday, Ned would be healed enough to move on with his life, and she tried hard to simply enjoy the life they had now rather than dwell unhappily on that fact. 

And if her best friend did occasionally give her a look that was not precisely platonic, and if those looks turned her insides to jelly, she steadfastly ignored those things. She had a rather jaded view of love after Jaime and couldn’t imagine allowing herself to fall again any time soon, and Ned . . . well, what he’d been through had been far worse. He needed time to heal himself without any distraction or confusion, and that’s exactly what Catelyn told herself the occasional charged undercurrent of feeling between them was. Genuine affection, some physical attraction, and simple proximity were ganging up to mess with the emotions of two emotionally scarred people. She knew very well that was a recipe for disaster rather than a life-long love. And she was not going lose or to hurt her best friend. She wouldn’t risk that. 

As she and Melisandre closed the bookstore that evening, she was surprised to see Ned appear at the door. 

“What are you doing here?” 

“Lysa’s got that bachelorette party for one of the girls at the daycare, remember?” 

“Yes. But what are you doing here?” 

“I thought we could go out to dinner. An actual good restaurant for a change. Unless you have other plans.” 

“No, I don’t have plans. Dinner sounds great.” 

“Good! My treat!” 

>“Ned, we’ll split it.” 

He grinned. “Not tonight. It’s on me. I’ve got some good news.” 

She cocked her head sideways, and raised a brow, but he refused to say another word so she resigned herself to waiting until they were at dinner. 

“I’ve got the car,” he told her. “Lysa’s bunch plan on Uber-ing since they’re planning a night of drinking and debauchery for the bride-to-be. So, you can pick a restaurant anywhere you like.” 

“Nope. Your good news. Your treat. You pick.” 

He shook his head at her. “Fine.” Then he held out his arm to her, “My lady, your carriage awaits.” 

She rolled her eyes at him, but then curtsied and took his arm. “Why thank you, my lord. You are much too kind.” 

They both laughed as they walked out to the car. 

He took her to a good seafood place and insisted she order the lobster. She’d told him once that she’d loved lobster as a girl, but hadn’t eaten it in ages because it wasn’t in the budget. He pushed off her protests and proceeded to order lobster for both of the 

“What on earth has gotten into you?” she asked him. “You do remember you’ve signed up for two classes starting in just a couple months. That tuition comes due pretty soon.” 

“I know. And I’ve got the money to cover all of it. Or I will have very shortly,” he said with a smile. 

“What are you talking about?” 

He lifted his wine glass. “Cheers, Cat. You are dining with an officially unmarried man.” 

“What?” she exclaimed. “The divorce is final?” 

Ned smiled and nodded. “Robert called me today from wherever he is at the moment. You know her lawyer’s been making a stink about everything and coming up with new demands every time my—well, Robert’s—lawyers shoot them down.” 

Catelyn nodded. She’d begun to believe poor Ned would be legally married to this woman for years due to the legal haggling. 

“Well, it seems the lawyers for our side have gotten pretty tired of all of it so they did some digging. I don’t know if I ever told you, but while Barbrey’s family isn’t particularly wealthy, they do have the title to large estate that’s been in their family for generations. Turns out that each currently living member of the Ryswell family is entitled to a share in it, and this was true before Barb and I ever got married. Now, her oldest brother, Roger, pretty much runs the estate. He’s the only one who lives there, and he rents parts of it out for big events and has turned much of it into a museum. Anyway, there aren’t many Ryswells left, and the family just lets him do what he pleases as long as he sends them their share of the income. The Ryswells weren’t any more pleased than my father when Barb and I got married, so old Roger kept putting Barb’s money in an account he’d set up in her name, but didn’t bother to tell her about it and she never bothered to ask.” 

“You’re telling me that Barbrey has money she never even knew about, and you’re entitled to some of it?” 

“I don’t want her money, Cat. But yes. Or I have at least as good a claim to that money as she does to anything from my grandfather. I could even push a claim for an actual stake in the Ryswell estate apparently.” 

“But you don’t want that.” 

“Hell, no. I want nothing from them. But one of Robert’s attorneys contacted Roger Ryswell’s attorney requesting financial information for a legal action which alerted him that this could actually happen. He paid off Barb’s attorney to get lost, and the Ryswell family attorney drafted an agreement that leaves all family inheritance money strictly in the possession of the original recipient and splits assets jointly held by us during the marriage down the middle. Barb’s already signed. Don’t imagine she’s happy about it, but apparently what’s in the account her brother had for her is a pretty nice little sum so she’ll be all right. I’d pity old Roger if he hadn’t been so shitty to her, basically hiding her own money from her. Because if I know Barb, she’s gonna be plenty vindictive over that.” 

“I never thought I’d be defending your ex-wife, but she has cause. Wow. What on earth did he gain by not letting her have her own money? He wasn’t stealing it himself, was he?” 

“No. And technically, nothing was preventing her from getting it if she’d bothered to ask any of her family members, ‘Hey, aren’t I supposed to be getting checks?’ But she’d never asked about it once she came of age, and not reaching out to her about it was simply Roger’s way of feeling he still had some control over her after she married against his will.” He smiled at Catelyn sadly. “Barb didn’t become who she is in a vacuum, Catelyn. I do feel badly for her.” 

“I know you do. You’re a good person, Ned.” She reached out and touched his hand across the table briefly. Then she smiled at him. “But while your fine character and the successful dissolution of your marriage are worthy of celebration, neither of those things is going to pay your tuition, so . . .” 

“The joint checking account,” he said. “It was in both our names, and I get 50% of the balance on the day she dissolved it which was apparently $2245.43.” 

“And half of that will definitely pay for six credit hours! Ned, that’s wonderful!” 

“Robert’s attorneys already have the check. They’re very thorough. As for the rest of joint property, I asked for the leather sofa. It’s really nice and comfy, it would totally fit in the living room at the apartment, and three people can sit on it without being on each other’s laps.” He grinned at her. “She can keep every other stick of furniture we had. Not like we’ve got room for it at our place, huh?” 

She laughed and tried not to react to the casual way, he’d said, ‘our place’ in spite of how it made her heart leap. She lifted her glass. “To all good things for you, Ned.” 

He clinked his own glass against hers. “To all good things for us,” he replied softly.  
______________________________________________________________________________ 

“He’s in love with you.” 

“Stop it.” 

“I’m only telling you what you already know,” Lysa said matter of factly. “More than that, you’re . . .” 

“Shut it, Lysa! Now.” 

“Hey, don’t jump down my throat. I can’t help it if you want to keep your head in the sand. But ever since the divorce was final, Ned’s been more . . . relaxed. More open. Well . . . as open as Ned gets, I suppose. But if he’s that open and transparent with me, you have to see it, Cat! He lets you in more than anyone and . . .” 

Catelyn put her face in her hands. They were sitting in their kitchen—just the two of them for a change as Ned had class this evening, and she didn’t. “It isn’t real,” she whispered. 

>“What?” 

“This . . . this whatever it is with Ned. We’re friends, yes. We love each other as friends and that’s very real, but this . . . it’s just that he’s been through an awful time, and I’m . . . well, I’m here . . . and it’s just . . .” 

“And you’re supposed to be the smart one.” Lysa shook her head. 

“Lysa, please don’t make this harder than it already is.” 

“I’m not the one making this difficult, Cat,” Lysa said softly before rising from the kitchen table. After a moment’s silence, she said almost too brightly, “I think I’m gonna go to the pub for a bit. Some of the girls from work are there, and Emma texted that the cute guys from this past weekend are back. Wanna come with?” 

Catelyn shook her head and remained seated at the table. Sighing, she opened up the textbook to the chapter she’d intended to start reading when Lysa had sat down to talk about Ned. Lysa wanted to talk about her and Ned entirely too often these days regardless of how often Catelyn told her to stop. And Ned himself . . . Catelyn sighed, not wanting to think about the way Ned made her feel lately—warm and happy, irritated, terrified—too many things all at once. She forced her mind away from those thoughts and settled in to read. 

After a time, her reading was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and Ned’s voice calling out in a terrible imitation of a Cuban accent, “Lucy! I’m home!!” She smiled and shook her head. Lysa had been slowly but surely infecting him with her love of old tv shows on late night cable channels. 

“In here, Ricky!” she called, rolling her eyes, but smiling again when her response made him laugh. 

“Where’s Lysa?” he asked as he appeared in the kitchen. 

“Chasing after cute boys at the pub with her daycare posse,” Catelyn informed him. 

He laughed again. “Taken without context, there is so much wrong with that sentence.” 

She smiled at him. “How was class?” 

“Long. Dull. I know the gen ed courses are necessary, but ugh.” 

“You want a bite to eat?” she asked him. 

“You know what I want? Ice cream.” 

“For dinner?” 

“Yeah! It’s really warm out for early October. Wanna walk down and get some with me?” 

She shouldn’t. She really shouldn’t. “Sure! I can’t read another word of this stuff.” 

Ned was right. The air was warm even though the sun had set, and she was enjoying every lick of the mint chocolate chip as they wandered through the park with their cones. “I’m gonna miss this when the cold hits,” she sighed. “I’m such a summer girl.” 

“You are,” he laughed. “But as much as I love ice cream in the park, I confess I’m ready for the cold weather. And the snow.” 

She shook her head. “You’re weird.” 

“Nope, I’m just a northern boy.” 

“Where exactly?” 

“What?” 

“It just occurred to me that you never did tell me exactly where in the north you’re from.” 

“Oh, I’ve lived a few different places. White Harbor mostly. That’s where Brandon lives now.” 

“I’ve never been to White Harbor. Or anywhere north, really.” 

“Brandon wants me to come around Christmas. Not at Christmas, of course because he’ll be headed to see my dad at . . . his house.” 

“Your dad’s not in White Harbor?” 

Ned shook his head. “Further north. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere.” 

“Ah. Does all your family go to his place for Christmas?” 

“We always did. I can’t honestly say what they do now. Lya’s missed a few when she and Dad were on the outs. They’ve spent a couple holidays not speaking. Ben’ll be there, of course. He has no escape. And while Brandon, on balance, has probably done more things my father disapproves of than all of us put together, he’s always been the best at putting on the ‘good son’ face and doing what’s expected of him in terms of family.” 

Catelyn laughed. “That’s on oldest kid thing. Trust me, I know.” 

Ned gave her a disbelieving look, and she laughed. 

“Not the misbehaving part!” she laughed. “The putting on a happy face and living up to expectations.” 

“Aww. And here I thought the lovely and virtuous Catelyn Tully was about to confess to her checkered past.” 

“Hmm. Let’s see. The most rebellious things I’ve ever done were getting birth control pills without my father’s knowledge at seventeen and then leaving home with Lysa.” 

“Maybe you should have gotten birth controls for Lysa. Would have saved you from your second act of rebellion.” 

“Ha. Ha. I didn’t even tell Lysa I was on them. The thing with Jaime was so new then, and I was scared of losing him and scared of letting my father down in equal measure so . . .” She shrugged. “Also, I was so self-absorbed at the time, I didn’t even realize what was going on with Lysa.” She shook her head. “You wouldn’t have liked me much then, I’m afraid.” 

“I can’t imagine ever not liking you. I also firmly believe that you at your most self-absorbed would still be more conscious of other people than most people are on their best days.” 

“You think too highly of me, Stark.” 

“No. I don’t,” he said softly. Then he laughed. “And at seventeen I was a willing participant in a fake romance to make my own brother feel like shit so . . . I think I win the shitty teen competition between the two of us.” 

“Well, I like you now. You’ve grown up very nicely, Ned.” She smiled up at him, and he suddenly stopped walking, staring at her face intently with those grey eyes. 

“What?” she asked him a little breathlessly. 

“You’ve got some ice cream . . . just there.” He gestured vaguely toward the side of her mouth. 

She began to lick at her lips and then quickly pulled her tongue back in as she saw him swallow, watching its movement. 

“I . . . let me,” he said, reaching out and rubbing the errant ice cream away almost roughly with his fingers. “There,” he breathed, his hand lingering there on her cheek softly now. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

He nodded and slowly withdrew his hand. 

“You should come,” he said after a few moments of silent walking. 

“Come where?” 

“White Harbor. You said you’d never been, and it’s lovely. Especially when all the Christmas decorations are up. You should come with me to Brandon’s. If it doesn’t interfere with your Christmas plans, of course.” 

“That sounds lovely. But . . . I don’t want to intrude on your family Christmas.” 

“Catelyn,” he said, turning to face her. “You’ve been closer to me than any of my family members for some time now. Your being with me is never an intrusion.” 

“I’ll think about it,” she said non-committally. 

“Well, here’s something else to think about. How long has it been since you took a vacation? Just got away somewhere for no purpose except to relax?” 

“Oh lord. I don’t know. Since before I left home, certainly. Maybe even a year before that.” 

“I haven’t had a vacation since Barb and I treated ourselves to a three day honeymoon in cheap motel four blocks away from the beach.” 

“Sounds delightful.” 

He laughed. “You know . . . it kind of was. I mean, the motel was awful, but I still believed in us then. We both felt like kids on an adventure.” He shook his head. “I guess we were kids. And god knows the adventure didn’t turn out to be good one. But honestly, those three days are probably about the best memory I have of my whole marriage.” 

“I’m glad you have that,” she said softly. 

“I think we should take a vacation.” 

“What?” she asked, somewhat dumfounded. 

“You and Me. And Lysa,” he said hurriedly. “We work. You and I go to school. I think we’ve earned a break. I was thinking maybe next summer. I know you and Lysa love the water, and Robert’s got a place on the river with a two bedroom guest cottage, he’d let us rent pretty cheap. I’ve been there a few times. It’s really lovely, Cat. And . . . and you deserve it.” 

“Next summer? Ned, it sounds lovely, but who knows where you’ll even be next summer? Who knows what we’ll all be doing?” 

“Where I’ll be? Catelyn, do you want me to leave?” 

“No!” she said too quickly and too loudly. “No, Ned. God, no. I don’t want you to leave.” Ever, she thought. “It’s just that I can’t imagine you want to spend forever sleeping on the floor of my bedroom.” 

He reached out and touched her face in spite of the fact there was no ice cream to be found on it. “I can’t imagine being anywhere you aren’t.” 

“Ned,” she breathed his name more than saying it. 

“I never want to be where you aren’t. I have never in my life felt the way I do when I’m with you, and I’ve never felt for anyone the way I do about you. I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to go away.” 

“Ned, please.” She felt tears pricking at her eyes, and she wasn’t entirely sure why. 

“Do you want me to go away?” 

“No!” she cried almost panicked. “I’d never want that.” 

“What do you want, Cat?” 

“I want . . . I want it to be easy! I want my best friend! I want . . . what do you want, Ned?” Her voice was too high pitched, and she realized she probably sounded deranged or at the very least hysterical. 

Ned only regarded her quietly for a moment before saying. “I want to be honest with my best friend. I want to tell you how I feel because I don’t know if I can keep it inside anymore.” 

She looked down and began shaking her head, frustrated and frightened in equal measure by the words she could already hear in spite of his not having spoken them yet. She felt his hand beneath her chin, turning her face upward to look again into those grey eyes. 

“I love you, Catelyn.” 

She stared at him. “Of course you do!” she blurted out. She pulled away from him and walked about five feet before turning back to face him. “Of course you do! Because that’s what happens when men and women try to be friends. Everyone kept telling me, but I wouldn’t listen. No! Because you promised! And now you think you love me, and nothing can ever be the same.” 

She turned and started to walk away again, but his voice stopped her. “I don’t think I love you, Cat. I do love you. I’ve known it for some time, but I’ve tried to . . .” 

He’d spoken quietly, but she whirled around and responded in her crazy person voice again, “No! You don’t know it! Or even if you do, you don’t know it will last! You loved Barbrey, Ned! You just told me you were happy with her on your honeymoon! Remember that? And look what happened to you! Jaime once told me we were sunrise and sunset, destined to be together through all the days and nights---well that was just pretty bullshit! Love breaks things! It breaks itself!” She realized she had tears running down her face now. “I don’t want you to break me. And I don’t want to break you.” She was actually crying then, and she fled away from him toward their apartment, vaguely realizing as she ran that she couldn’t honestly explain what she was running from. 

Much later, she heard Lysa come into the bedroom. As soon as her sister shut the door, she unceremoniously flipped the light on, causing Catelyn to blink, momentarily blinded by the light where she lay sleepless in her bed. “What the hell, Lysa?” she hissed. 

“Yes, Cat. What the hell? Why is Ned sleeping out on the couch?” 

“Is he asleep?” she asked. She’d heard him come in about twenty minutes after she’d gotten in her bed to lie there and stare at the ceiling, but he hadn’t come into the bedroom. 

“No. But he pretends pretty well. At least he sort of fits on our new couch.” Catelyn’s eyes were beginning to adjust and she could see her sister’s glare. “What did you do to him?” 

“Why do think it was me?” Catelyn asked. “Why so quick to assume I’m at fault?” 

“Okay,” Lysa shrugged. “What did he do?” 

Not wanting to discuss this any further with her sister, Catelyn turned to face the wall and pulled the covers over her head to blot out the light before replying, “He broke a promise.”  
________________________________________________________________________ 

<

She must have fallen asleep at some point because she woke up in the morning to discover Lysa was not in the room. She looked picked up her phone and sat up suddenly when she read 10:15am. She never slept that late! 

She got out of bed and wandered into the living room. No Ned on the couch or anywhere else. No Lysa, either. Nor were they in the kitchen. There was, however, a note on the table addressed to her lying on top of a hardcover book. She picked up the book. _When Sun and Stars Fall._ She had forgotten the long awaited new Khaleesi novel was being released this weekend. Tears stung her eyes as she picked up the note and opened it. ‘You will always be my best friend, Catelyn. Love, Ned.’ 

She sat down at the table and cried. 

By the time Lysa came strolling back into the house after she got off work, not a thing in the apartment was out of place and the air smelled of lemon scented cleaning products. “Damn, you are upset,” her sister said as she took in Catelyn folding laundry on the sofa. When Catelyn didn’t respond, she asked, “Is that all of it or is there anything left in the dryer downstairs?” 

They had a laundry facility in the basement of their building. Catelyn shook her head. “This is the last of it.” 

“I bet the dishes are all sparkling, too, huh?” Lysa flopped down on the arm of the couch, and Catelyn glared at her. “So, the place is sterilized and the laundry is all done . . . the car could use a wash if you’re still looking for ways to ignore your feelings. It’s supposed to rain tonight, though, so maybe . . .” 

“Shut it, Lysa.” 

>Lysa shrugged and got up to walk toward the bedroom. 

“Did you see him this morning?” Cat asked her back. 

“Can’t really miss a six foot guy on a couch in the middle of the living room, Cat.” 

“So he was asleep when you left?” 

“No.” 

“Did he say anything?” 

Lysa turned around and looked at her. “So now you want to talk about Ned?” 

“I . . . I think I may have messed up everything,” Catelyn said miserably. 

Lysa laughed out loud. 

“This isn’t funny, Lysa! Stop it!” 

“But it is! It’s hilarious. Because that’s exactly what he said to me this morning. Same fucking words.” Lysa shook her head. 

“He said he loves me.” 

“Yeah, well I’ve been telling you that for months. So he finally got up enough nerve to tell you. Great. He loves you. You love him. What’s the problem?” 

She sighed. “It’s too soon.” 

“Too soon?” Lysa asked incredulously. “Cat, you’ve known him over a year! He’s lived with us for months! You were getting naked with Jaime Lannister less than three months after you met the golden shit!” 

“Exactly!” 

“What?” 

“I loved Jaime. Or I thought I did. I don’t know.” She shook her head. “But if I really did love him, it sure as hell didn’t last, and if I only thought I loved him . . . well, how can I be sure I really love Ned?” 

“So you’re admitting you love Ned?” Lysa asked with a smirk—“Or that you at least think you do?” 

“No!” Catelyn protested. “I’m just saying . . . if I did. If I thought I loved Ned or . . . anybody—how do I know it’s real. I was so wrong before.” 

Lysa looked at her for a long moment and then walked back to wrap her arms around her. “Oh, Cat! You really are a mess, aren’t you?” She released her from the hug and grabbed her hand. “Come on,” she said, pulling her into the bedroom. 

They sat side by side on Catelyn’s bed just holding hands like they used to do when they were little girls. 

“I loved Petyr,” Lysa said. 

“Lysa . . .” 

“No. Let me talk. I loved Petyr. I didn’t think I loved him. I wasn’t crushing on him. I wasn’t living in a fantasy. I wasn’t any of the things you or Daddy tried to use to explain my stupidity. I was in love. I loved him with all my heart, and he wasn’t worth it. He was shitty, Cat. Not my love. I loved everything about how I felt back then. I regret so much of what happened. I regret not recognizing that I was never more than some pitiful imitation of you that he used to amuse himself.” 

“Oh, Lysa! I . . .” 

“No. Let me talk. I’m not a kid anymore. I hope I’m a lot smarter than that stupid little girl was. I really do. But I don’t regret loving someone that much. Because I know I can. I know I can love somebody with everything I’ve got, and I honestly hope I get a chance to do it again someday. To love somebody that way who is capable of loving me back. And I bet it’ll be scary as hell when I do fall in love again. Because I went through hell the last time. I haven’t forgotten that. But Cat, that’s not because there’s something wrong with me. Or there’s something wrong with love. There’s something very wrong with Petyr. And he doesn’t get to decide whether or not I’m happy anymore.” Lysa shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with you, and there’s nothing wrong with Ned. Don’t be scared, Cat. Or be scared, but go for it anyway.” She smiled. “After all, you’re the brave one.” 

Lysa smiled and stood up. “I’m starving,” she announced. “I’m gonna go fix something to eat and leave the dirty dishes on the table for you in case you haven’t gotten over your cleaning frenzy yet. 

Catelyn gave a little laugh. “Clean up after yourself, brat.” As her sister turned to leave the bedroom. “You’re brave, Lysa. You’ve always been braver than anyone realizes--including you.” 

Lysa smiled at her and walked to the kitchen. 

Catelyn knew Ned would be home before too long. Lysa got off work at 3:30pm and the bookstore closed at 5pm. She and Ned both had classes tonight, but he’d come home to eat first, and then they rode to school together. Even if he didn’t want to see her, he’d need the transportation. She hoped he didn’t decide to just take the bus from the bookshop. 

She grabbed her new book and sat on Ned’s leather couch to wait for him. She could barely concentrate on the words on the page at first, but soon found herself sucked into the story. She didn’t even hear the door open when he came in. 

“I see you found your book.” 

She looked up at him standing there in the doorway. “I did. I just started the third chapter.” She smiled at him. “Thank you, Ned.” 

“I ordered it ages ago. Got one for me, too, because I thought it might be fun to read it together and talk about as we go.” He sounded a bit forlorn as he said that. 

“It will! I mean, we should. Have you started yours?” 

He shook his head. “Bookstore was busy today, and Mel was out for four hours. Sometimes I suspect she just doesn’t like to work.” 

Catelyn laughed. “Remember when you told me she wouldn’t leave you there by yourself?” 

“Yeah,” Ned said. “The good old days. You never know how good they are until they’re gone.” 

He was joking, but the words resonated. “I don’t want our good old days to be gone, Ned,” she said softly. 

“They won’t. I promise. I . . .” He paused and looked around. “Where’s your sister?” 

Catelyn shrugged. “Somewhere.” She called out, “Lysa? Are you listening to our conversation?” 

“No!” Lysa called from the bedroom. 

Catelyn and Ned both laughed. “You wanna get out of here and just get a burger on the way to class?” Ned asked. 

“Okay, let me get a book mark.” 

“I can’t believe you’re only just starting chapter 3 when you’ve been off all day.” 

“I cleaned the apartment. Did the laundry.” Catelyn shrugged. 

“Damn!” 

“What?” 

“I owe Lysa a dollar. She asked me about the book this morning, and I told her you’d been waiting for it for years and would probably have it nearly read by this evening. And she said, nope. You’d spend the whole day cleaning.” 

“Ugh! She knows me too well. Sometimes I hate her,” Catelyn sighed. 

“Heard that! And pay up, Stark!” Lysa called again. 

“So . . . outta here?” Ned asked very quietly. 

“Yes, please,” Catelyn mouthed. 

She went to get a bookmark off the shelf, and Ned dutifully trotted into the bedroom to give Lysa her one dollar winnings before they left the apartment. 

Sitting in the corner booth of the McDonald’s near the community college campus, Ned, as always, accused Catelyn of being a barbarian for eating her fries without ketchup. It felt nice. It felt normal. But she had to say something about last night. 

“I’m sorry I acted like a crazy person last night,” she said, putting her cheeseburger down. 

“I’m sorry I broke a pinky swear promise,” he responded. 

“No you’re not,” she said with a smile. 

“Catelyn, I am. I never, ever want to hurt you. You know that, don’t you?” 

“Of course, I do. But you aren’t sorry you love me. I know that, too.” 

He smiled at her. “Okay, you’ve got me there. I will never be sorry for loving you. Nor will I ever stop being your best friend.” 

She nodded. “I’m not mad at you. For loving me, I mean. That’s a really stupid thing to be mad at someone over. I’m just . . . I don’t really trust love right now, if that makes sense. And I honestly don’t see how you can. After everything you just went through.” 

“Well, I don’t trust myself very much. I’ll admit that. I’ve made some very bad judgments and stupid decisions in my life. But I trust you. And I trust the way I feel about you. That’s enough for me.” 

She bit her lip. “I’ve made some stupid decisions, too. And I . . . I just can’t say what you want me to say right now. I’m sorry about that.” 

He took her hand across the table. “Don’t ever apologize for how you feel, Cat. It’s all right. I can wait.” 

“And if I can never say it?” 

“I’m still your best friend.” He looked at his watch. “Now finish up those fries or let me put some ketchup on them and finish them for you. We need to leave here in the next five minutes if we don’t want to be late.” 

Catelyn grinned and defiantly put all of her remaining ketchup-free fries in her mouth in one giant mouthful, struggling to chew as she laughed with her best friend, and she thought that somehow everything still might be all right.  
___________________________________________________________________________________ 

“I can’t believe he ended it like that!” Catelyn groaned. “I’m going to die!” 

Ned came around the counter to put his arm around her comfortingly. “I know it’s awful, but I promise you won’t die, love.” 

She glared up at him. “Don’t be condescending! And don’t act like you’re not pissed off, too!” 

“Well,” he said reasonably. “We knew it wasn’t the last book.” He’d finished _When Sun and Stars Fall_ on his lunch break. The store had been so busy, they’d had to take their lunches separately. He’d steadfastly refused to talk to or even look at her until she finished, and now she knew why. 

“But he took forever to write this one, and that’s the worst cliff hanger ever! We probably won’t know what happens for years!” she whined. 

“Are you going to be crabby for days now and make me regret buying you that novel?” 

“No,” she said, but she stuck her lower lip out. 

He laughed. “I do love your pout.” 

“You do, huh?” 

“Yes. Most definitely.” 

>“I thought you loved my smile.” 

“I do. And your hair, and your eyes. And everything else about you.” 

She shook her head. “You really are incorrigible, you know.” 

“What can I say? My best friend is very lovable.” 

The chime rang out as the door opened to admit a group of four people, and Melisandre gave them a significant look. There had already been several people in the store and with the new customers as well, she wanted their private conversation to come to an end. 

Ned went back behind the counter to the register, and Catelyn went to greet the new customers and ask if she could help them find anything. 

“I love helping people pick out kids’ Christmas books!” she said when they finally hit a lull. 

“It’s too early for Christmas shopping,” Ned groused. It’s not even Halloween yet” 

“If you have all your shopping finished by Halloween, you don’t have to get all caught up in all that madness after Thanksgiving and you can just enjoy the season,” she said primly. 

“You sound like Hermione Granger, Little Miss Know-It-All,” Ned teased. 

“Ha ha. Christmas just happens to be my favorite holiday. Which I already told you last year.” 

“And I told you that a summer girl like yourself should pick a warmer holiday to love so much,” he laughed. 

She smiled. “Honestly, Christmas is the one time of the year I don’t mind snow and big coats and all that stuff. I used to actually pray for a white Christmas every year. I just want summer to come back in January.” 

He laughed at her. “I had a lot of white Christmases growing up. You’d have loved them. Sled riding. Snowball fights. Of course, the white stuff would hang around until at least March so that might not be your cup of tea.” 

“I would like to see a northern Christmas some time,” she said. 

“My offer to take you to White Harbor to see Brandon’s family in December stands. But it’s on the coast so the snow there isn’t as plentiful as it is in . . . inland.” 

“We’ll see,” she said. “As you said, we’ve still got Halloween and Thanksgiving to get through first.” _And we should probably figure out exactly what we are before we go together to your family holidays,_ she left unspoken. 

She and Ned had been surprisingly relaxed and comfortable with each other the past couple weeks, due almost entirely to his patience with her and his general ability to make her feel comfortable and happy. He was a bit more openly flirty with fairly frequent comments about loving specific things about her, but stopping short of saying, ‘I love you.’ And since Ned was as low key about flirting as he was about everything else, she found it didn’t bother her at all. In fact, she rather liked it. 

They’d spent hours discussing the novel over the past two weeks. It’s the longest she’d ever taken to finish a Khaleesi book, but they’d made a deal to only read when the other could and not to get to far ahead of the other, so she couldn’t simply read continuously on the days she was off and he worked. And on days they were both off, they would read for awhile and then stop to talk, and she found she enjoyed their discussions as much if not more than the reading. She knew that a big part of that was that she simply liked being with Ned better than just about anything in the world. She’d known that for a long time and felt herself inching ever closer to allowing herself to fully embrace the reason that was true. 

Lysa was right. Ned was right. She just had to get over herself and be as brave as they both seemed to think she was. 

“Come look, you two!” Melisandre called from the front door. 

“Hey, it’s snowing!” Ned exclaimed. 

“Snowing!” Catelyn protested. “But it’s October! We got ice cream in the park just over two weeks ago!” 

“It’s lovely,” Melisandre said with a thoughtful expression. “But the two of you walked today, did you not? Will you be all right?” 

“We knew it was supposed to get close to freezing by closing time,” Ned assured her. “We’ve got our coats, hats, and gloves, Mom.” 

Catelyn laughed in spite of her dismay at walking home in the snow. They had both taken to calling Mel ‘Mom’ on the random occasions she tried to mother them. It was funny because Catelyn didn’t think Mel was that much older than they were although they never could decide precisely how old she was. The woman seemed oddly ageless. 

“And those are really just flurries,” Ned went on. “Won’t even stick to the sidewalks.” 

Catelyn rolled her eyes at him, and he laughed at her. 

“Well, it’s nearly five,” Melisandre said. “Just in case these flurries grow larger, let’s close up now and get you two on your way.” 

As Ned and Catelyn walked along the sidewalk bundled up and standing close together for warmth, she found herself laughing in spite of the cold. “Do you think Mel was really concerned about us or nervous herself about driving in snow. She’s seemed awfully anxious to get out of there.” 

Ned laughed, too. “Probably both. These snow flurries have zero effect on roads, but people down here tend to freak out anyway.” 

“You really are a northern snob, Mr. Stark.” 

“I can’t help it if you southerners are scared of a wee bit of fluffy precipitation!” He put an arm around her, and she didn’t object. “You’ve got admit it’s pretty, though.” 

“It’s pretty,” she offered begrudgingly. “In December! I’m still not thrilled with the idea of pre-Halloween snow!” 

“Just think Christmas thoughts, and it’ll keep you warm. You love all things Christmasy, remember?” 

She gave him a dirty look. 

“Or we could stop in the park and . . .” 

>“We are NOT getting ice cream!” 

“And see if anyone’s selling hot chocolate,” he finished. 

“Oh! That actually sounds . . . nice!” she admitted. 

“You won’t freeze to death walking the extra block?” 

“You are so annoying. It’s cold, but it’s not brutally cold. And hot chocolate will make it worth it.” 

“If they have it. It’s kind of hit or miss with these early cold spells. Here’s hoping some enterprising person watched the weather forecast this morning.” 

“I’m willing to risk it!” she proclaimed boldly. 

He looked at her thoughtfully and then smiled. “I’m very glad to hear that.” 

They were in luck, and the hot chocolate warmed Catelyn’s hands and insides as they strolled through the park. The flurries were coming down more thickly now, but Ned was right. They didn’t stick to the ground anywhere. Catelyn was almost disappointed by that in the park as she’d seen it snow covered and found it beautiful. 

“You have snow in your hair.” 

<"What?” she asked, distracted by watching the snow. 

“You have snow in your hair where it hangs down from your hat over your back.” 

“Is that bad?” she asked him. 

“Not at all. Your hair is always beautiful. Now it looks like it’s full of sparkles. I love it.” 

“You love the snow in my hair.” 

“I do.” 

“That’s a new one.” 

“It’s the first time I’ve seen it. We weren’t taking walks in the park last fall and winter.” 

“No. I was confined to the safe bookstore bubble then.” 

“Catelyn . . .” Ned began hesitantly. 

“I’m not irritated about that, Ned. I’m just reflecting on how far we’ve come. I’m very glad we can walk in the park together—in ice cream weather or hot chocolate weather, or whatever Mother Nature throws at us two weeks from now.” She smiled up at him. 

“I love . . .” 

“My smile?” she guessed. 

“You, Catelyn Tully. I love you.” 

The last time he’d spoken those words in this park, she hadn’t known what to say. This time she replied easily, “Anha zhilak yera.” 

“What did you say?” he asked her. 

“You heard me.” 

“But what do you mean?” 

“I know you know that Dothraki phrase, Ned.” 

“I do. Cat, the first time I heard you speak Dothraki, you told me you did it to keep your father from understanding that you were swearing. Are you trying to keep anything to yourself now?” 

“No,” she said simply. “It just felt right. Kind of like coming full circle. The day you understood me when I swore in Dothraki is the day I acknowledged to myself that I had a crush on you. One I tried very hard to squash afterward for some very obvious reasons. I thought it only right that I return to it on the day I finally admit to you and me both that I’m in love with you.” 

“You’re in love with me,” he said as if the words hadn’t quite made sense. 

“Yes! Anha zhilak yera! I love you, Ned Stark! I love your grey eyes and your crooked smile and your deep voice and your overprotectiveness and your overactive sense of responsibility for everything, and your laugh—god I love your laugh—and . . .” 

She couldn’t get another word out because Ned had dropped his almost empty cup of hot chocolate and pulled her to him for a kiss. Whether their lips met for a few seconds or a few hours, Catelyn couldn’t say. She only knew that nothing had ever felt more right and that she was no longer cold at all. She was warmer than she could ever recall being before. 

At some point, they ended the kiss in a laugh as a passing teenager hollered. “Get a room!” 

Still breathing rather raggedly, Catelyn said, “Oh! We will have to get a room very soon, Ned. I mean one that doesn’t contain my sister!” 

He laughed. That deep wonderful laugh that she loved so much. “Patience, my love. You . . . this . . . what we are going to share forever . . . it’s worth all we’ve come through to reach it. And it’s worth a bit more waiting.” 

She grabbed him and kissed him fiercely. 

“But we’ll figure it out quickly,” he panted when they broke that kiss. 

He bent to retrieve his dropped cup, and she put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Ned! I spilled the last of my hot chocolate down the back of your coat!” 

He shrugged. “It washes,” he said. 

The two of them practically ran back to the apartment giggling like small children and stopping to kiss at random intervals. When they realized their car wasn’t there which meant Lysa wasn’t there, they nearly raced each other up the stairs. 

“Lock the bedroom door,” Catelyn ordered, and he laughingly complied. 

“If she comes home to a locked door, she’s going to know what . . .” 

“I don’t care.” 

They’d shed their coats and Catelyn was pushing his shirt up, feeling his chest and back under her hands. He wasted no time following suit and within moments they had each other undressed. Suddenly, Catelyn found herself very shy. “I’ve only ever done this with one other person,” she said. “And I haven’t done it in a long time.” 

“I’ve only ever done it with two others, and it’s been a long time for me as well.” His eyes moved over her naked body, and she couldn’t help blushing. “You are so very beautiful,” he said. Then his expression darkened. “I don’t think I have a condom.” 

“It’s all right. I never went off the pill.” She shrugged. “It keeps me from getting cramps.” 

He pulled her into his arms and she found herself trembling although she felt anything but cold. 

“Catelyn, are you certain you want to do this now?” 

“I love you, Ned. And yes. I want to do this.” 

“I love you, Cat.” His lips found hers again and there was very little talking for a long time. 

Her twin bed had not been designed to comfortably fit two adults, but it mattered little to the two of them as they made love with all the hope and all the passion and all the love they’d been holding inside them longer than either had wanted to admit. Afterward, she lay nearly on top of him with her head resting on his chest as he stroked her hair. 

“Are you happy?” he asked her. 

“So happy.” 

“Are you frightened?” 

She thought for a moment and raised her head to look at his face before she answered. “No. Not at all. I’m having trouble remembering why I was frightened in the first place.” 

He nodded. “I’m glad. I love you so very much, and I intend to spend my life making you happy. Do you believe that?” 

“Of course, I do. I hope you believe it of me as well.” 

He nodded. “I do have to tell you something, though. Something I’ve held back.” She knew he felt her tense because he quickly added. “It isn’t anything bad, Catelyn. It’s just . . . I haven’t told you everything about my family. 

“Oh,” she said. “Yes, I know that.” 

“You know?” 

She raised up on her elbow so that she could look at him more easily. “I can tell when you’re holding back, Ned. I’ve gotten pretty good at reading you. You always stop yourself at some point when you talk about your family.” She shrugged. “I always assumed you’d tell me when you were ready.” 

He smiled. “You really are amazing, you know that?” 

“As long as you think I am, then we’re all good here,” she laughed. 

He laughed, but quickly grew serious again. “Do you remember when you first learned my last name?” 

“You said you’d rather I associate your name with Iron Man than building projects,” she laughed. 

“Yes. And you asked me if I’d heard of the Stark family that runs Winterfell Building and Lumber, and I said I had.” 

She shrugged. “Pretty much everyone’s heard of them.” Even as she said the words, she recalled his friendship with the insanely rich and powerful Robert Baratheon and the money he stood to inherit from his grandfather. “Ned . . .” 

“I know them rather better than most,” he said ruefully. “Considering that I am one of them.” 

“That’s why you’re friends with Robert Baratheon!” she said punching him in the shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“That’s how I met Robert Baratheon. Our families have worked together on quite a few projects and we’ve known each other since we were boys. That is not why we’re friends. Everything I’ve ever told you about Robert and myself is true. I just didn’t tell you everything. As to why I didn’t tell you everything . . . Catelyn, money is a strange thing. Having it affects your perception of things. Not having it affects your perception of things. Having lived with a great deal of it and then very little of it, I understand that better than most people. You know something of what I’m saying because your current financial situation is very different than how you were raised.” 

“Go on . . .” she said when he paused. 

“When you found out who Robert was . . . the kind of money Robert has . . . it affected you. Don’t misunderstand me—you reacted far better than most people. You still see Robert as Robert, but he did become ‘Robert the billionaire’ and you can’t really just forget that, can you?” 

“No,” she admitted. 

“I adored you from the first moment I met you, Cat. You are beautiful and smart and funny and kind, and you liked me. You sincerely liked me—Ned, the guy who works in a bookstore. It’s why it was hard to tell you about Barb at first. And about the kind of money my family really has. I wanted so much to be the guy you met in the bookstore. To be your friend. And eventually, of course, to be so much more. That night in the park when I first told you I love you, you said you wanted things to be easy. Nothing about my family is easy. Barb always knew how much money my family is worth. It was always part of the attraction—first to Brandon and then to me. And it was part of her dissatisfaction when I left it behind over my father’s refusal to accept our marriage.” 

“Barb wanted a lot more out of your divorce than just the money from your grandfather, didn’t she?” 

Ned nodded. “Everything I said about that is true. But there are . . . other assets I stand to inherit some day. And I could have a position in the company if I wished it.” 

“Do you wish it?” 

“I don’t know. I feel like I haven’t really had the chance to consider it. My life went in such a different direction right after high school.” 

“Well, take your time. Figure out what you want. I’ll be here with you while you do.” 

“You aren’t angry?” 

“Annoyed, perhaps,” she sighed. “I want you to know that you’ll always be Ned to me. My Ned. Whether you’re working at a bookstore or making multi-million dollar deals. I know who you are. I love who you are. And I’m not going to let anything frighten me out of that. I’d hope you know that.” 

“God, I love you! And I’m totally taking you to Winterfell for Christmas—eventually. I’m not ready to deal with Dad this year. But we’re going to build a snow fort five feet high and throw snowballs at my siblings like we’re all ten years old and I’m going to take you sledding down the slickest hills I can find . . .” As he spoke, he ran his hands over her flesh as if her body was made of the snowy hills he wished to slide over. She squealed when his hand reached its destination. “And then I’m going to carry you inside to one of the great big bedrooms with a fireplace and I am going to make love to you in front of that fire until neither of us can move.” 

With that he flipped the two of them over so that he lay atop her and pressed his lips against her neck. So intent upon what he was doing to her, Catelyn was unaware of any other sounds in the apartment until the bedroom door rattled. 

“Cat! Are you in there?” came Lysa’s voice. 

“Yes, she is!” Ned nearly growled. He kept his lips pressed to her skin and did not stop what he was doing with his fingers. 

“Cat?” Lysa called again a bit more weakly. 

“I’m here, Lysa,” she nearly yelped. Then she hissed, “Ned, stop!” in his ear. 

“Oh my god!” Lysa squealed from the other side of the door. “It’s about fucking time!” 

“See?” Ned whispered in Catelyn’s ear as he moved his body against hers. “Lysa said it’s fucking time. So I guess we’d better . . .” 

“You are awful!” she hissed at him. 

“Oh dear, I hope not!” Lysa called shamelessly from the other room. “You’ve waited much too long for him to be awful! I’m going to . . . uh, run to the store and grab some champagne. Have at it, you two, but you’d best be out here with your asses clothed when I come back. I want to celebrate!” 

At that, Ned and Catelyn both dissolved into laughter. They then lay still for a moment before Catelyn wound her arms around Ned’s neck. “I thinks she’s gone. Please continue what you were doing.” 

“Not until you promise me something.” 

“Anything,” she said breathlessly. 

“You will give Lysa a positively glowing review of my performance.” 

“Ned!” 

“We both know her well enough to know she’s going to ask, and I want to be assured I can still walk around this apartment with my head held high.” 

Catelyn laughed and peppered his face with kisses. “My love, if round one was any indication, you have nothing to worry about. Although if round two is half as good, I may not be able to walk around the apartment tomorrow at all! Now, hurry! We don’t have much time!” 

Laughter and passion. Gentleness and wildness. Tenderness and fierceness. Love was all these things, and as Catelyn lost herself in her lover’s arms again, she thought about how quickly they could get dressed, she thought about how they really needed a solution to this three people in one bedroom problem, she thought about snowball fights in Winterfell and swimming at Riverrun, but mostly she just thought about how good it felt to love and be loved so completely before coherent thought deserted her completely. 

Much later, Lysa returned to the apartment to find Ned and Catelyn fully clothed and sitting in the kitchen. “Champagne!” she exclaimed gleefully. 

Catelyn blushed but accepted the wine glass pressed into her hand and clinked it against Ned’s and Lysa’s when her sister had filled all three with champagne. 

“I didn’t think you two would ever get your heads out of your asses,” Lysa proclaimed, lifting her glass high after her initial toast. “Thank God you got over yourselves!” 

“Lysa!” Catelyn admonished her. “It isn’t like . . .” 

“It isn’t like you’ve been dying to jump each other’s bones for months!” Lysa interrupted. She shook her head. “At least Ned got us a much comfier couch than we used to have so I can sleep decently.” 

“You’ll sleep in your bed as you always have, Lysa,” Ned insisted. 

Lysa raised her eyebrows at him. “Dude, I have no desire to witness . . .” 

“Lysa!” Ned interrupted. “I’ve been in love with your sister a long time and sleeping on the floor between you. I can continue doing that.” 

“Um, Ned, I know what was going on here earlier . . .” 

“Stop it, both of you!” Catelyn insisted. “This is not a conversation I’m interested in having right now.” 

“Well, it’s a conversation we need to have,” Lysa stated emphatically. 

“No, it’s not,” Ned said just as certainly. “Lysa, As I said, I have been in love with your sister for a very long time. The fact that we have now, as you so eloquently put it, gotten our heads out of our asses doesn’t mean we’ve suddenly lost all self-control. I am entirely content to sleep on my air mattress while we figure all of this out. You are NOT sleeping on the couch!” 

“Lysa,” Catelyn added quickly. “This is your apartment as well as ours. This . . .” she gestured vaguely between Ned and herself is and felt the warmth in her cheeks that let her know she was blushing again. “Is all very . . . new. We’ll figure all of this out together, okay?” 

Lysa looked back and forth between the two of them. “Well, I love you both, you know, but I think maybe you two need to talk more to each other about it without my getting involved.” She raised her wine glass and then drained her champagne and stood up. “I’m going for a walk. See you both in a bit.” 

“Lysa!” Catelyn called after her. 

“I’m fine, Cat,” Lysa reassured her with a smile. “I’ve been wanting the two of you together forever. You’re perfect for each other, and I’m so happy for both of you. But if we are going to keep living here all together, we’re gonna have to figure out how to give each other some space, you know? And please don’t take this the wrong way, Sis, but you two really have gone from about zero to sixty all at once here today, so seriously . . . you should to talk to each other about this big old plot change to our Three’s Company, and then the three of us can talk, okay?” 

Catelyn felt tears pricking at her eyes. “I’m still not used to you doing that so often, you know.” 

“Doing what?” 

“Being the smart, responsible one,” she said, making a face at her sister. 

Lysa responded merely by sticking out her tongue, and Catelyn jumped out of her chair to hug her tightly, laughing and crying a bit all at once. “I love you so much, Lysa!” 

“I love you,” Lysa replied. She then took advantage of their embrace to whisper into Catelyn’s ear. “So how good is he?” 

“Lysa!” Catelyn exclaimed, smacking her sister’s arm and pulling away. Lysa only cocked an eyebrow expectantly, blithely unconcerned that Ned still sat at the kitchen table. 

Catelyn turned around to see him intently studying the champagne in his glass with an expression on his face that somehow encompassed both embarrassment and amusement. Smiling, she turned back to her sister. “Incredible,” she said simply, resolutely looking her sister in the eyes with a smug expression and willing herself not to blush. 

Lysa shook her head slowly and fixed her eyes on Ned. “I guess it’s true what they say about the quiet ones . . .” she said thoughtfully. 

Ned simply leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his champagne without saying a word. 

Lysa laughed. “Smug bastard,” she muttered. “I’ll see you two in a little while.” 

>She then exited the kitchen and the apartment without another word. 

“I’m sorry,” Catelyn said once they heard the apartment door close. “She can be . . .” She shrugged helplessly. Ned was looking down at the table and didn’t reply, and she felt a small pang of worry leap into her chest. “Ned?” she said hesitantly, sitting back down beside him. 

He looked up to face her, and she saw immediately he’d been trying very hard not to laugh. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and they both began laughing like children. 

“Oh, god,” he finally said. “Even I didn’t think she’d ask you that right in front of me!” He reached out and took her hands in his. “Thanks for the glowing review, my love.” 

“My love . . . I like the sound of that.” She leaned forward to kiss him softly. “And you earned a rave review . . . my love,” she whispered. She let go of his hands to wind her arms around his neck and deepen the kiss, but he surprised her by pushing her back after a moment. 

“Cat . . .” he said. “What Lysa said—that bit about zero to sixty—she’s not wrong, you know.” 

Catelyn bit her lip. “Do you think we’re moving too fast?” 

“I love you,” he said in response, and she wondered why she had ever tried to keep him from saying those words. “And I do know that you love me. But we’ve both been so . . . cautious of each other and ourselves for so long, that I don’t want you to feel that we’re suddenly being too reckless or foolish.” 

“Do you feel reckless now?” She asked him. “Do you regret . . .” 

“God no!” he interrupted. He reached out to touch her face, tracing her cheek with his fingers. “Loving you . . . making love to you . . . Catelyn, nothing has ever felt that right in my life, and I could never . . . will never . . . regret that as long as I live. As for reckless . . . well, maybe I do feel a bit reckless, and I’ve never considered that a good feeling—until now. I want this. I want you. I want us. Right now, a large part of me simply wants to pick you up and carry you back to that bedroom until Lysa comes knocking on the door to interrupt us again. And that’s very unlike me . . . but it doesn’t scare me. Not with you.” 

“I’m not scared, either. I told you that. And yes, today has been . . . I mean I didn’t wake up this morning planning to tell you I love you and then take you to bed,” she laughed. “But as crazy fast as this feels on hand, I know I’ve been in love with you for so long and only letting myself admit it a little at a time . . . so it feels almost too slow as much as too fast. If that makes any sense at all!” 

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Well, whether it makes sense or not, I feel exactly the same way, Cat. And if we’re in this together, I know we’ll be all right.” 

“I meant what I said to your sister. We can keep living here until the lease is up just as we have been.” 

“Exactly the way we have been?” she asked him, arching a brow. 

“Well, no.” Ned wasn’t prone to blushing the way she was, but she realized she could easily recognize embarrassment on his face. “Not unless that’s what you want.” 

She shook her head emphatically, and he laughed. “Good. But we can certainly live without actually sleeping in the same bed for awhile. If this were any sort of normal situation, we wouldn’t even be living together at this point! So we keep the sleeping arrangements as they are and just navigate the whole need for privacy thing as we would if you or Lysa was dating someone who didn’t live here.” 

She laughed at the absurdity of the situation. “Neither of us has dated anyone really, since we got this place. But we can figure it out. It’ll work . . . for now. But Ned. What do we do when the lease is up? We can’t just . . .” 

“We get a bigger apartment. One with two bedrooms.” 

“You’re okay with Lysa still living with us?” 

“Lysa is your sister. And she can’t afford to live on her own. And I love her, too, you know.” 

“I do! And I love you even more for that. Even if you are picking up too many of her terrible television habits!” Catelyn laughed, even as she teared up again at the thought that Ned genuinely wanted her sister to live them for however long she needed. 

“Well, once we have a two bedroom, I can likely find far better ways to occupy my night time hours,” he said with a smirk. 

“I’m gonna hold you to that promise.” 

“I sincerely hope so.” 

Their conversation was interrupted by another kiss, and this time it was Catelyn who interrupted it before they got too carried away. 

“How will we afford it, though? Two bedrooms cost a lot more, and I don’t want to give up my classes. I don’t want you to stop, either.” 

“No. I have an idea about that, and I want you to hear me out.” 

“Okay.” 

“Let your father pay your tuition.” 

“What? Ned you know that Lysa and I . . .” 

“I know that your father regrets a lot of things. And he’s had that money put aside for your education for a long time. Lysa told me he and your mother started putting money away for college when you were first born.” 

“Lysa? Lysa told you . . .” 

“Catelyn, please. I asked you to hear me out. Lysa still doesn’t want to accept anything from your father. She says she doesn’t even know if she wants to go to college, but she’s beginning to feel rather badly about keeping you from it.” 

“Keeping me from it? I’ve told her . . .” 

“Cat. Please just listen. It’s school. He’s your father. Let him pay for school—something you very much want. And I’ll ask Brandon to lend me the money for my classes. With the understanding that I’ll pay him back when I get the money from my grandfather.” 

“Why would you ask Brandon and not Robert?” she asked, knowing of his still difficult relationships with his family. “Robert would give it to you in a heartbeat.” 

“Yes, he would. And he’d never let me pay him back. And I need to pay it back, Cat. I know you can’t really understand how it is with my father, but it’s important that I pay for everything I do. Brandon was raised by the same man. He’ll understand why I need to pay it back, and he’ll let me. Whether he wants me to or not.” 

She wasn’t certain she did understand completely. He was so adamant about it being okay for her to take her father’s money and impossible for him to take anybody’s money all at the same time. But she did understand that their family situations were not the same. And she couldn’t fault him for being who he was. She loved the man he was. 

“And we keep going to school part time, at least for now. That way, we can keep working full time at the book store. If we aren’t spending any of that money on tuition, then the two of us plus Lysa can swing a two bedroom apartment.” 

“You’ve thought a lot about this, haven’t you?” 

“Catelyn, I’ve thought a lot about you. A lot about us since long before I first told you I loved you. Truth be told, I lied to you when I gave you that pinky swear promise.” 

“Lied to me?” 

“I fell in love with you before I ever promised you that I wouldn’t. But I didn’t think I deserved you. I knew you deserved someone better than me. So what I promised myself that day was that you’d never know just how I loved you.” He smiled a little sadly. “And I couldn’t even keep that promise.” 

“Oh, Ned.” Catelyn felt her eyes tearing up. “That’s one promise I’m so very glad you broke. Truth be told, I only insisted on it because I was afraid of my own feelings. I was trying to make you responsible for protecting me from myself. Not very fair, huh? So thank you, my love, for being brave first. So that I could be brave, too.” 

“No more keeping important things to ourselves simply out of fear then?” he asked, standing up and pulling her to her feet as well. 

“I’ll make that promise,” she said, holding out her pinky for him to wrap his own around. 

“I’ll make you that one and another,” he said, standing there in the kitchen with their pinkies linked. “I will love you, Catelyn Tully, for all the rest of my life. I will love you, trust you, and honor you forever.” 

“That sounds more like a wedding vow than a pinky promise,” she whispered. 

“It’s simply the truth.” 

And she realized it was. However they’d gotten here. Wherever they went from here. Ned loved her. She loved Ned. And nothing was ever going to change that. She had no idea how their life together would unfold from this moment. She had no idea how their family relationships would all play out or how Ned’s family money would or wouldn’t become a factor in their lives. She didn’t know what path Lysa would eventually follow to heal from her own hurts. But she knew that she and Ned would face all of it together. She’d never been more certain of anything in her life. And it was all the certainty she needed. 

“I love you, Eddard Stark. For the rest of my life, too. I’ll love and trust and honor you.” In her head, she could already imagine standing up with him in front of both their families and making that same declaration, but in this moment, she was content to share it only between Ned and herself. 

He let go of her pinky to put his arms around her, but she grabbed his hand back, realizing she’d forgotten something important. Intertwining their fifth fingers once more, she added, “And I promise that I will always be your best friend.” 

He laughed, that deep rich sound she loved so much. “And I will always be yours. Forever.” 

She let him put his arms around her then and reveled in his kiss—reveled in the in the priceless gift of a future filled with the promise of life in love with her best friend. 


End file.
